Taehwan Park

Nickname

Marine Boy. (english.chosun.com, 29 Jul 2009)

Education

Danguk University, Seoul, KOR

Club name

Danguk University, Seoul, KOR

Coach

Michael Bohl (AUS) from 2010 (FINA Aquatic World Magazine, 30 Apr 2011)

Injuries

He suffered from asthma as a child. (The Korea Times, 22 Aug 2006)

Additional information

Start of sporting career
He started swimming at age five in Korea. (The Korea Times, 22 Aug 2006)

Reason for taking up this sport
Suffered from asthma as a child and started the sport because it was recommended to his parents by a doctor, who believed it could improve his condition. He then showed talent at the sports centre where he swam and set his sights on a career as a swimmer. (The Korea Times, 22 Aug 2006)

Hero
Australian swimmer Grant Hackett. (Herald Sun, 14 Feb 2007)

Awards
His win in the 400m freestyle final at the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, Canada, meant he became the first Korean swimmer to win an international swimming event. (The Korea Times, 08 Dec 2006)

Swimming World Magazine named him its Pacific Rim Male Swimmer of the Year for 2006. (Swimming World, 30 Nov 2006)

He was named Most Valuable Player at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, after winning seven medals, more than any other athlete. (Timed Finals, 15 Dec 2006)

General
At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Park surprised many after failing to qualify to swim in the finals of the 200 and 400 m freestyle.
http://english.chosun.com 29 JUL 2009

SECRET TRAINING IN SYDNEY
Due to the celebrity status he has in his homeland and to escape this pressure, Park and two of his Korean teammates spent six weeks in Sydney with the squad of national team coach Tony Shaw, training alongside the likes of world championships representatives Kenrick Monk and Grant Brits. "I haven't gone over the top publicising the fact they are here," Shaw explained yesterday. "I have to do something on a family basis tomorrow so [national coach] Alan [Thompson] is actually coming in and doing the session for me, and I said to him, 'I better forewarn you, I've got Park Tae Hwan here as well'. He just said, 'Oh, OK. No dramas. That will be interesting'."

The Korean contingent arrived in Sydney on 29 December, 2007 and returned home in the first week of February 2008. (smh.com.au, 16 Jan 2008)

GOLD MEDAL DEDICATION
After winning the 1500m gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games, he dedicated his win to Korean equestrian competitor Kim Hyung-chul who was killed in a horse riding accident during the Games. "It was a real tragedy," he said. "We were deeply saddened and I would like to dedicate my medal to him.". Kim was crushed by his horse after missing a jump on the course and became the first competitor to die in Asian Games history. (Goldsea, 20 Dec 2006)

ASIAN GAMES PHENOMENON
His total of seven medals in individual and relay events at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, was more than any other athlete at the event. He became the first male swimmer from Korea to win three individual gold medals at a single edition of the Asian Games. He also became the first male swimmer in Asian Games history to win four individual medals at a single edition in a single stroke [freestyle] with gold medals as part of the haul. He was just 0.96 seconds from becoming the first man to win four individual golds at the same Asian Games meet, but had to settle for silver in the 100m freestyle. (AGNS, 08 Dec 2006)

OLYMPIC DISQUALIFICATION
He first drew attention from the public at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens where he was the youngest Korean participant at the Games. However, he was disqualified for an illegal start and was so upset he hid in a bathroom for two hours. (The Korea Times 22 Aug 2006)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008, Athens 2004