1. Overview
Nam Yoo-sun (남유선Nam Yu-seonKorean; born July 23, 1985) is a distinguished South Korean swimmer who specialized in individual medley events. She holds a significant place in South Korean swimming history as the first swimmer from the nation to reach an Olympic final, a feat she achieved at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Throughout her extensive career, Nam Yoo-sun represented South Korea in three Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008) and later participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Her international achievements also include multiple medals at the East Asian Games and consistent participation in the Asian Games. Domestically, she was a prominent figure in the National Sports Festival, earning numerous accolades.
2. Personal Life
Nam Yoo-sun's personal life is marked by her birth in Seoul and her dedication to academic pursuits alongside her athletic career.
2.1. Birth and Background
Nam Yoo-sun was born on July 23, 1985, in Seoul, South Korea. She stands at 5.5 ft (1.67 m) tall and weighs 101 lb (46 kg).
2.2. Education
Nam Yoo-sun pursued higher education concurrently with her swimming career. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Seoul National University. Following her undergraduate studies, she continued her academic journey by enrolling in the Master's program for Exercise Physiology at Korea University graduate school.
3. Career
Nam Yoo-sun's career as a swimmer spans over a decade, marked by her consistent presence on the national team and participation in numerous major international and domestic competitions.
3.1. National Team Debut
Nam Yoo-sun made her debut as a member of the South Korean national swimming team at the remarkably young age of 15. Her first major international appearance was at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
3.2. Olympic Participation
Nam Yoo-sun is a three-time Olympian, having represented South Korea in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympic Games. She also participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
3.2.1. 2000 Sydney Olympics
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Nam Yoo-sun competed in the women's 200m individual medley. Swimming in heat two, she finished in fourth place with a time of 2:22.53. Overall, she placed twenty-seventh in the preliminary rounds.
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3.2.2. 2004 Athens Olympics
Nam Yoo-sun's most notable Olympic performance came at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She competed in the 400m individual medley event. She reached the final, a historic achievement for South Korean swimming, and ultimately placed seventh with a time of 4:50.35. In the final, she narrowly edged out Greece's Vasiliki Angelopoulou by exactly 0.50 seconds.
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3.2.3. 2008 Beijing Olympics
Eight years after her Olympic debut, Nam Yoo-sun, at 23 years old, qualified for her third Olympic appearance at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. She achieved a FINA B-standard entry time of 4:52.38 in the 400m individual medley at the Dong-A Swimming Championships held in Ulsan, South Korea. In Beijing, she competed in the 400m individual medley, where she topped the first heat with a time of 4:46.74, finishing five seconds ahead of Singapore's Quah Ting Wen. Despite winning her heat, she did not advance to the top 8 final, placing twenty-eighth overall in the preliminary rounds.
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3.2.4. 2016 Rio Olympics
Nam Yoo-sun continued her career and was once again a member of the South Korean national swimming team for the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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3.3. Major International Competitions
Beyond the Olympic Games, Nam Yoo-sun also competed in several other significant international swimming events, earning medals and notable placements.
3.3.1. East Asian Games
Nam Yoo-sun achieved success at the East Asian Games. In 2001, she earned a bronze medal in the 400m individual medley. At the 2005 East Asian Games held in Macau, China, she secured two medals: a silver medal in the 400m individual medley and a bronze medal in the 200m individual medley.
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3.3.2. Asian Games
Nam Yoo-sun was a consistent participant in the Asian Games. At the 2002 Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea, she achieved a fourth-place finish in one of her events, demonstrating her competitive standing in Asia.
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She also represented South Korea at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar,
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the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China,
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and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.
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3.4. Domestic Competitions
Nam Yoo-sun was a dominant force in South Korean national swimming competitions, particularly at the National Sports Festival.
At the 93rd National Sports Festival in 2012, she won a gold medal in the women's general 400m individual medley and a silver medal in the women's general 200m individual medley. She continued her success at the 94th National Sports Festival in 2013, securing another gold medal in the women's general 400m individual medley and a bronze medal in the women's general 200m individual medley.
4. Awards and Honors
Nam Yoo-sun's contributions and achievements in swimming were recognized with several awards and honors throughout her career.
4.1. Major Awards
In 2005, Nam Yoo-sun was honored with the Best Athlete Award at the 10th Jo Jeong-sun Sports Award, acknowledging her outstanding performance and sportsmanship. Her medal wins at the East Asian Games and the National Sports Festival also stand as significant accolades in her career.
5. Historical Significance
Nam Yoo-sun holds a unique and significant place in the history of South Korean swimming. Her achievement at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where she reached the final of the 400m individual medley, marked her as the first South Korean swimmer ever to compete in an Olympic final. This groundbreaking accomplishment predated Park Tae-Hwan's historic gold medal win at the 2008 Summer Olympics, which was the nation's first Olympic medal in swimming. Nam Yoo-sun's pioneering feat helped to elevate the profile of swimming in South Korea and inspired future generations of athletes.