Kim Jun-ho (born 26 May 1994) is a South Korean right-handed sabrefencer, three-time team Asian champion, three-time team world champion, and 2021 team Olympic champion.[1]
Early life
Kim had been a football player throughout elementary school and was introduced to fencing in middle school. He enrolled at Dong-Eui University as it was one of the few universities which had a fencing team.[2]
Career
Kim made the senior national team for the 2014–15 season. He took silver in the 2016 Warsaw competition of the 2015–16 Fencing World Cup, narrowly losing to compatriot Gu Bon-gil, and was also part of the team — along with Gu, Kim Jung-hwan and Oh Sang-uk — which won gold in the men's team sabre at the 2016 Asian Fencing Championships.[3] However, there was no men's team sabre at the 2016 Summer Olympics due to the now-abolished rotation policy and he and Oh were not ranked high enough to qualify for the individual event. Unusual for professional athletes, Kim decided to enlist early rather than apply for a postponement and was assigned to the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps. While a member of the Corps, he led the men's sabre team to win the President's National Fencing Championships, the main domestic fencing competition, beating Korea National Sport University.[4][5]
In 2018 Kim was part of the team which swept gold in the team sabre event at both the World Championships and the Asian Games.[6][7] He was scheduled to be discharged in October but was granted an early discharge; participating athletes who won gold and had yet to complete their military service were granted exemptions but since Kim had already enlisted, he was discharged earlier than scheduled.[8][9]
With the retirement of Kim Jung-hwan, Ha Han-sol joined the team and they won gold in the men's team sabre event at the 2019 World Fencing Championships. In the individual event, he made it to the Round of 32 where he was defeated by András Szatmári. He also won bronze at the Cairo Grand Prix, having been defeated by Oh in the quarter-final.[10]
Kim was reunited with his teammates from the 2018 Asian Games and World Championships after Kim Jung-hwan came out of retirement and they qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[11] He was the designated substitute for the team and did not compete in the individual event as Kim Jung-hwan's higher individual FIE ranking meant that the latter entered the individual event instead. Despite the postponement of the Olympics, the quartet successfully defended the men's team sabre gold medal.[12][13]
Kim was part of the team which won gold at both the 2022 Asian Championships and World Championships. He had a disappointing run in the individual events, having been knocked before the quarterfinal stages in both competitions as well as the Grand Prix competitions.[14]
In 2018, Kim married his girlfriend Yoo Jung-hyeon.[38] He appeared on The Return of Superman with their son Eun-woo (born October 22, 2021).[39] In a November 2022 episode of The Return of Superman, the couple announced that they were expecting their second child. Their younger son Jeong-woo was born on May 2, 2023.[40]
In August 2021, Kim signed with Haewadal Entertainment.[41]
^Lee Yoo-na (2 December 2021). "'펜싱 金' 김준호 아빠 됐다 "아들, 펜싱보다 축구선수로 키우고파"(뭉찬2)" [Fencing gold' Kim Jun-ho became a father "I want my son to be a soccer player rather than fencer" (Let's Play Soccer 2)] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved 2 December 2021 – via Naver.
^Jang Ah-reum (17 November 2022). "슈돌' 김준호, 둘째 생겼다 "태명은 은동이…아들도 딸도 좋아" [The Return of Superman 'Kim Jun-ho, has a second child "Nickname is Eundong...a son or daughter is fine]. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved 17 November 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Da-gyeom (17 August 2021). "펜싱 김준호, 해와달엔터와 전속계약...하지원과 한솥밥" [Fencing Jun-ho Kim, exclusive contract with Haewadal Entertainment...sharing the same 'rice bowl' as Ha Ji-won]. Maeil Business News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
^Jang Woo-young (24 March 2022). "스물다섯 스물하나' 남주혁 "난 백이진, 쟨 오빠?"…김태리 질투 폭발" [Twenty-five Twenty One' Nam Joo-hyuk "I'm Baek I-jin, Jja-oppa?"... Kim Tae-ri Jealousy Explosion] (in Korean). OSEN. Retrieved 24 March 2022 – via Naver.
^Park Soo-in (28 March 2022). "펜싱 국대 김준호 '2521' 특별출연 "김태리 도움으로 즐겁게 연기" [Fencing National University Kim Jun-ho's '2521' Special Appearance "Enjoyable acting with the help of Kim Tae-ri] (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved 28 March 2022 – via Naver.
^Seo Yu-na (11 October 2021). "김준호 안드레진→이대훈 '뭉찬2' 합류, 박정우 부상 재발로 최종 탈락[어제TV]" [Kim Jun-ho Andre-jin → Lee Dae-hoon joins 'Mungchan 2', and Park Jung-woo is finally eliminated due to a recurring injury [Yesterday TV]] (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved 11 October 2021 – via Naver.
^Kim Na-young (24 December 2022). "장도연, 잔나비X펜싱선수 김준호와 인기상 수상…100초 CM송 등장[KBS 연예대상]" [Jang Do-yeon, Jannabi X fencing player Kim Jun-ho and Popularity Award… Appeared in 100 second CM song [KBS Entertainment Awards]] (in Korean). MK Sports. Retrieved 24 December 2022 – via Naver.
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