Jang Hye-ock

Jang Hye-ock (; born 9 February 1977) is a badminton player from South Korea who affiliate with Chungnam Provincial office team. She won the gold medal at the 1995 IBF World Championships in women's doubles, playing with Gil Young-ah. At 18 years, 3 months, and 19 days, she was the youngest player ever to win a World Championship title, in any discipline. The same year she won the 1995 All England Open Badminton Championships. She reached a career high as women's doubles world number 1 with Gil in August 1995. Jang competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and she won the silver medal in the women's doubles together with Gil Young-ah.

Career Jang Hye-ock entered the national team in 1993 when she was in the second grade of Seongshim Girls' High School. Although she has a small physique, Jang was excellent as a play-maker, supporting her power and spirit to compete. In February 1996, she undergo surgery for an enlarged rib and after recovered her injury, she competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, won a silver medal in the women's doubles with Gil Young-ah.

In 1998, after playing two tournaments in Europe, she suffered a hip injury, and then she decided to leave the national team and the international tournaments. After her retirement, she keeps playing domestically for her local team and later for Jeonbuk Bank. She is now coaching in her alma mater, Seongshim Girls' High School. She did also coach the national junior team for about 3 years, back when Lee Yong-dae was on the team.

Achievements

Olympic Games Women's doubles

World Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1995 Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland Gil Young-ah Finarsih Lili Tampi 3–15, 15–11, 15–10 Gold Gold

Asian Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan Shim Eun-jung Chung So-young Gil Young-ah 15–9, 15–3 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan Kang Kyung-jin Yoo Yong-sung Chung So-young 10–15, 12–15 Silver Silver

Asian Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China Shim Eun-jung Ge Fei Gu Jun 6–15, 8–15 Bronze Bronze

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China Yoo Yong-sung Wang Xiaoyuan Liu Jianjun 6–15, 15–6, 5–15 Bronze Bronze

Asian Cup Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China Chung So-young Chen Ying Wu Yuhong 15–9, 15–5 Gold Gold 1995 Qingdao, China Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 7–15, 17–18 Silver Silver 1996 Olympic Gymnasium No. 2, Seoul, South Korea Chung So-young Indarti Issolina Deyana Lomban 15–7, 15–8 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China Yoo Yong-sung Aryono Miranat Eliza Nathanael 10–15, 16–18 Bronze Bronze

IBF World Grand Prix (11 titles, 9 runners-up) The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since 1983.

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1994 Swedish Open Shim Eun-jung Chung So-young Gil Young-ah 9–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1994 All England Open Shim Eun-jung Chung So-young Gil Young-ah 15–7, 8–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1994 Hong Kong Open Shim Eun-jung Ge Fei Gu Jun 15–11, 18–14 Winner 1994 China Open Bang Soo-hyun Ge Fei Gu Jun 8–15, 2–15 Runner-up 1995 Korea Open Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 15–13, 1–15, 15–11 Winner 1995 All England Open Gil Young-ah Eliza Nathanael Zelin Resiana 15–6, 15–3 Winner 1995 Malaysia Open Gil Young-ah Julie Bradbury Joanne Wright 10–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1995 Singapore Open Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 12–15, 7–15 Runner-up 1995 U.S. Open Gil Young-ah Kim Mee-hyang Kim Shin-young 15–9, 15–4 Winner 1995 Canadian Open Gil Young-ah Qin Yiyuan Tang Yongshu 15–10, 15–4 Winner 1995 Hong Kong Open Gil Young-ah Julie Bradbury Joanne Wright 17–15, 15–5 Winner 1995 China Open Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 12–15, 15–10, 3–15 Runner-up 1995 Thailand Open Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 18–17, 15–6 Winner 1995 World Grand Prix Finals Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 7–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1996 Japan Open Gil Young-ah Ge Fei Gu Jun 15–5, 14–17, 15–10 Winner 1996 Korea Open Gil Young-ah Kim Mee-hyang Kim Shin-young 11–15, 15–11, 15–4 Winner 1998 Swedish Open Ra Kyung-min Huang Nanyan Liu Zhong 15–12, 15–9 Winner 1998 All England Open Ra Kyung-min Ge Fei Gu Jun 7–15, 7–15 Runner-up

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1993 China Open Yoo Yong-sung Chen Xingdong Sun Man 15–12, 9–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1994 Swedish Open Yoo Yong-sung Ron Michels Erica van den Heuvel 15–9, 10–15, 18–17 Winner