50 worldwide contenders for 2012: Wang Ki-Chun
Last updated on .From the section Olympics
Judo (73kg class)
South Korea
Born: 03/09/88
Career highlights
The World Championships have been where Wang has been at his most impressive. He became the second youngest judo world champion ever in 2007 at the age of 19. He successfully defended his title in 2009 and took bronze the following year.
Other career
He entered the Beijing Olympics as favourite to win the under 73kg category but suffered a fractured rib in his quarter-final.
Nonetheless, he battled his way through to the final, only to be caught out after only 13 seconds by Azerbaijan's Elnur Mammadli, the man he had beaten to the world title the previous year.
Did you know?
Wang won widespread praise in 2010 for his act of sportsmanship in the Asian Games final. His opponent, Hiroyuki Akimoto of Japan, had suffered a bad injury prior to the final but Wang refused to attack Akimoto's injured ankle and was subsequently beaten.
Wang said: "I knew he was hurt in the semis. But I never wanted to attack his ankle."
