ABSTRACT
A Marathon story of Kim Jae Ryong
Lee, Shin-Na
Major in Sport for All
Graduate School of Sports and Leisure Studies,
Korea National Sport University
Marathon, often called the "flower of the Olympics," is the final event of the Games and brin...
ABSTRACT
A Marathon story of Kim Jae Ryong
Lee, Shin-Na
Major in Sport for All
Graduate School of Sports and Leisure Studies,
Korea National Sport University
Marathon, often called the "flower of the Olympics," is the final event of the Games and brings the competition to a grand close. For the Korean people, marathon has been a beautiful sport that carried national hope during difficult times. The most notable figures include Sohn Kee-chung, who won the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Seo Yun-bok, the winner of the 1947 Boston Marathon after Korea’s liberation, and Ham Ki-yong, Song Gil-yoon, and Choi Yoon-chil, who won the same race in 1950. This proud history proves Korea's past glory as a powerhouse in marathon. Although Korean marathon is currently in a slump, it continues to grow in hopes of producing the next champion. At the heart of that development was Kim Jae-ryong. This study focuses on the life and achievements of Kim Jae-ryong, a towering figure in Korean marathon history.
Kim Jae-ryong was born in April 1966 in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, as the eldest son among two sons and two daughters. Amidst financial difficulties, he discovered his talent for long-distance running during his middle school years. Dreaming of becoming the second Sohn Kee-chung, he joined the track and field team in high school. Within a year, he dominated various road races and rose to become the top-ranked high school long-distance runner, earning recognition as the best athlete. Later, he continued his career with the Korea Electric Power Corporation(KEPCO) Athletics Team, the military athletic team (Sangmu), and the national team, eventually becoming a key figure in Korean marathon. He won the Dong-A Marathon in 1991 and 1992 and placed 10th in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. In 1993, he finished second in the Boston Marathon and placed fourth in the World Championships, establishing himself as a key contributor to the growth of Korean marathon.
Kim retired after the 1996 Berlin Marathon and became a coach for the KEPCO Athletics Team in October 1997. As a coach, he listened carefully to his athletes and adopted personalized training programs to cultivate top marathoners. He helped raise world-class runners such as Baek Seung-do, Park Joo-young, Shin Hyun-soo, Kim Jae-hoon, and Shim Jong-seop. More recently, he has trained promising athletes like Kim Tae-hoon, Lee Kyung-ho, Park Jong-hak, Kim Gun-oh, and Kim Hong-rok, preparing the next generation of Korean marathoners. To his athletes, Coach Kim emphasizes that “the miracle of sweat cannot be achieved through a single effort,” stressing the importance of endurance and consistent hard training. Even today, he continues to be active on the track, pursuing the dream of globalizing Korean marathon.
Kim Jae-ryong played a leading role in Korean marathon during the 1980s and 1990s and contributed significantly to its development. He helped elevate Korean marathon from the national level to the world stage. He completed more than 15 marathons, including over seven international competitions, displaying a strong spirit as a Korean athlete. This marked the beginning of Korea’s potential on the world stage in marathon. Even after his retirement, he continued to raise Korea’s profile in marathon by discovering and nurturing top athletes as a coach. Ultimately, his contributions laid the foundation for the globalization of Korean marathon and hold great significance in the history of Korean sports.
Keywords : Marathon, Kim Jae Ryong, Boston Marathon, Korea Electric Power Corporation(KEPCO)Athletics Team