Second generation Sudirman

In one of the more obscure aspects to Korea’s historic win at the 2017 Sudirman Cup, Kim Won Ho became the first second generation winner of the prestigious trophy.

Photos: Badmintonphoto

Kim is the son of Korean doubles legend Gil Young Ah (pictured right, with current national team coach Ra Kyung Min).  Three years before Gil took the first ever Olympic mixed doubles gold medal, playing with Kim Dong Moon, she was the ace of the Korean team that won the nation’s second Sudirman Cup title.  She contributed points in mixed doubles with Park Joo Bong and in women’s doubles with Chung So Young when Korea beat Indonesia 3-2 in the 1993 Sudirman final.

17-year-old Kim Won Ho (pictured above, far right) was the youngest member of the 2017 Sudirman squad for Korea but as part of Korea’s rebuilding men’s doubles stable, he did see court time in the opening tie with Russia in the round robin stage.  He and 19-year-old Seo Seung Jae went down fighting to former All England winners Ivanov/Sozonov.

Kim is in his last year of eligibility for junior events and he has already won doubles doubles at junior tournaments in both Bangkok and Jakarta this year, as well as reaching the semi-final of the Osaka International Challenge.  He and Seo have been entered in the Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold, where he will also play mixed doubles with his junior partner Lee Yu Rim.

Gil Young Ah is not only the mother of one of the players, but she is also the Head Coach of one of Korea’s most successful professional teams and former mixed doubles world #1 Kim Ha Na and Sudirman Cup heroine Chae Yoo Jung will be heading back to train with Gil and their domestic team-mates for one of Korea’s biggest domestic events before the Superseries resumes next month.