Pak Song-chol (athlete)

Last updated
Pak Song-chol
Song-Chol Pak (North Korea) - London 2012 Mens Marathon.jpg
Pak Song-chol in the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London
Personal information
Born (1984-11-10) November 10, 1984 (age 38)
Height1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight60 kg (130 lb)
Sport
CountryFlag of North Korea.svg  North Korea
SportAthletics
Event(s) Marathon
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
박성철
Revised Romanization Bak Seongcheol
McCune–Reischauer Pak Sŏngch'ŏl
Medal record
Men's Track & Field
Representing Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea
East Asian Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2009 Hong Kong Half marathon

Pak Song-chol (born 10 November 1984) is a North Korean long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. His personal best time is 2:12:41 hours in 2007, winning the Pyongyang Marathon. [1] He has represented North Korea at the Summer Olympics on two occasions (2008 and 2012) and the 2010 Asian Games. He won a silver medal at the 2009 East Asian Games, running in the half marathon.

Contents

Career

Born in South Hwanghae Province, [2] Pak's first marathon race came at the Pyongyang Marathon in 2005. After racing at the Xiamen and Macau Marathon races in 2006, he dipped under two hours and twenty minutes for the first time in 2007: he won the Pyongyang race in a personal best of 2:12:41 hours and also ran at the Beijing Marathon, timing 2:15:17 hours for eleventh place. [3] He defended his Pyongyang title in 2008 and was selected to compete in the 2008 Olympic marathon, where he placed 40th overall. [1]

Pak managed only sixth at the 2009 Pyongyang Marathon but he was entered into the men's marathon at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics and came 43rd with a time of 2:21:12. He won his first international medal at the East Asian Games that year, taking the half marathon silver. [4] He had a strong run at the 2010 Pyongyang race, running 2:14:09 – his fastest time since 2007. However, he had to settle for second place behind surprise winner Ivan Babaryka. [5] He ran at the 2010 Asian Games and was eighth in the marathon. In his sole outing of 2011, he represented North Korea at the 2011 World Military Games, finishing fifth.

The 2012 Pyongyang Marathon was held as part of celebrations for the 100 years since Kim Il Sung's birth and featured one of the race's closest ever finishes: Pak recorded the same time as Oleksandr Matviychuk (2:12:54 hours), but it was the Ukrainian who topped the podium. [6] He was chosen to race at the Olympics for a second time and ended the 2012 Olympic men's marathon in 52nd place. [2] He had his third fastest time of his career in Pyongyang in 2013, but managed only fourth place behind foreign opposition. [7]

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
2005 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea 18thMarathon2:23:36
2006 Xiamen International Marathon Xiamen, China16thMarathon2:20:40
2007 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea 1stMarathon2:12:41
2007 Beijing Marathon Beijing, China 11thMarathon2:15:17
2008 Xiamen International Marathon Xiamen, China8thMarathon2:15:34
2008 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea1stMarathon2:14:22
2008 Olympics Beijing, China 40thMarathon2:21:16
2009 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea6thMarathon2:15:53
2009 World Championships Berlin, Germany 43rdMarathon2:21:12
2009 East Asian Games Hong Kong 2ndHalf marathon1:06:05
2010 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea2ndMarathon2:14:09
2010 Asian Games Guangzhou, China6thMarathon2:18:16
2011 Military World Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 5thMarathon2:21:59
2012 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea2ndMarathon2:12:54
2012 Olympics London, United Kingdom 52ndMarathon2:20:20
2013 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea4thMarathon2:13:24
2014 Pyongyang Marathon Pyongyang, North Korea6thMarathon2:15:01

Related Research Articles

Sun Yingjie is a Chinese female long-distance runner who competes in events ranging from 5000 metres to the marathon. She rose to prominence by winning two gold medals at the 2002 Asian Games. In 2003, she won a bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Paris. She won two golds at the 2003 Asian Athletics Championships and won the Beijing Marathon in an Asian record time that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beijing Marathon</span> Annual race in China held since 1981

The Beijing Marathon is an annual marathon race held around October in Beijing, People's Republic of China, since 1981. The race begins at Tiananmen Square and finishes in Celebration Square in Olympic Green. The full marathon is the only distance offered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhou Chunxiu</span> Chinese long-distance runner

Zhou Chunxiu is a Chinese marathon runner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Kum-ok</span> Nord-Korean long-distance runner and politician

Kim Kum-ok is a female long-distance runner and politician from North Korea, who specializes in the half marathon and marathon events. She represents the April 25 Sports Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyongyang Marathon</span> Annual race held in Pyongyang, North Korea

Pyongyang International Marathon, previously known as Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, is an annual marathon race contested each April in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

The JoongAng Seoul Marathon is an annual footrace that takes place in Seoul, South Korea, usually in early November. First held in 1999, the race was established as a commemoration of Olympic marathon race which was held as part of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. It features a men's marathon elite race, and also has non-professional races of 10 km as well as the marathon distance. Elite international competitors are usually not invited to the women's race, thus that section tends to be a competition between Korean women only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chang Chia-che</span> Taiwanese long-distance runner

Chang Chia-che is a Taiwanese long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivan Babaryka</span> Ukrainian long-distance runner

Ivan Babaryka is a Ukrainian long distance runner who specialises in the marathon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wang Zhen (racewalker)</span> Chinese racewalker

Wang Zhen is a Chinese race walker who specialises in the 10 kilometres and 20 kilometres race walk. He holds the senior Asian record for the 20 km with his time of 1:17:36 hours and is also the Asian, Chinese and junior world record holder over 10 km. He was the bronze medallist over 20 km at the 2012 London Olympics and the gold medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Abdellah Falil is a Moroccan professional long-distance runner. He was selected for the national Olympic squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and finished 16th in the 10,000 metres final.

Chung Yun-hee is a South Korean long-distance runner and marathon race specialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seoul International Marathon</span> Marathon held in Seoul, South Korea

The Seoul International Marathon, also known as the Dong-A Ilbo Seoul Marathon or Seoul Marathon is an annual marathon race that takes place in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of two annual races over the 42.195 km classic distance in the city, alongside the JoongAng Seoul Marathon which is held in November. It holds World Athletics Platinum Label Road Race status. First held in 1931, it is the third longest-running road running competition in Asia after the Hakone Ekiden and Chugoku Yamaguchi Ekiden in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bat-Ochiryn Ser-Od</span> Mongolian long-distance runner

Bat-Ochiryn "Ziggy" Ser-Od is a Mongolian long-distance runner, particularly the marathon. He represented his country in the marathon at five Summer Olympics, in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021. A member of the Morpeth Harriers running club, he divides his time between his native country and Gateshead in England.

Wei Yanan is a Chinese marathon runner. She won the Beijing Marathon at the age of eighteen and has won marathons in Seoul, Shanghai and Dalian.

Kim Mi-gyong is a North Korean long-distance runner. She competed in the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics, placing 74th with a time of 2:38:33.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Pierre Mvuyekure</span> Rwandan long-distance runner

Jean Pierre Mvuyekure is a Rwandan long-distance runner. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the Men's marathon, finishing in 79th place. He placed third at the Pyongyang Marathon in 2013.

Endeshaw Negesse Shumi is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in the marathon. He won the Tokyo Marathon in 2015 and the Florence Marathon in 2012. His personal best is 2:04:52 hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pak Chol</span> North Korean long-distance runner

Pak Chol is a North Korean long-distance runner. He represents the Sajabong Sports Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Hye-gyong</span> North Korean long-distance runner

Kim Hye-gyong is a North Korean long-distance runner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Hye-song (runner)</span> North Korean long-distance runner

Kim Hye-song is a North Korean long-distance runner.

References

  1. 1 2 Pak Song-chol at World Athletics OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. 1 2 Pak Song-Chol Archived 2013-04-07 at the Wayback Machine . London2012. Retrieved on 2013-04-18.
  3. Pak Song-Chol. Tilastopaja. Retrieved on 2013-04-18.
  4. Krishnan, Ram. Murali (2009-12-13). East Asian Games conclude. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-18.
  5. Jalava, Mirko (2010-04-12). Surprise victory by Babaryka in Pyongyang – Mangyongdae Prize Marathon report. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-04-12.
  6. Jalava, Mirko (2012-04-09). Tight finish in Pyongyang. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-04-21.
  7. Jalava, Mirko (2013-04-15). Home victory for Kim Mi Gyong in Pyongyang, Nigusse takes men's title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-18.