# Jang Hye-ock

Jang Hye-ock (Korean: 장혜옥; Hanja: 張惠玉; born 9 February 1977) is a badminton player from South Korea who affiliate with Chungnam Provincial office team. She won the gold medal at the 1995 IBF World Championships in women's doubles, playing with Gil Young-ah. At 18 years, 3 months, and 19 days, she was the youngest player ever to win a World Championship title, in any discipline. The same year she won the 1995 All England Open Badminton Championships. She reached a career high as women's doubles world number 1 with Gil in August 1995. Jang competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and she won the silver medal in the women's doubles together with Gil Young-ah.

## Career

Jang Hye-ock entered the national team in 1993 when she was in the second grade of Seongshim Girls' High School. Although she has a small physique, Jang was excellent as a play-maker, supporting her power and spirit to compete. In February 1996, she undergo surgery for an enlarged rib and after recovered her injury, she competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, won a silver medal in the women's doubles with Gil Young-ah.
In 1998, after playing two tournaments in Europe, she suffered a hip injury, and then she decided to leave the national team and the international tournaments. After her retirement, she keeps playing domestically for her local team and later for Jeonbuk Bank. She is now coaching in her alma mater, Seongshim Girls' High School. She did also coach the national junior team for about 3 years, back when Lee Yong-dae was on the team.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1996 | GSU Sports Arena, Atlanta, United States | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 5–15, 5–15 | Silver |

### World Championships

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1995 | Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland | Gil Young-ah | Finarsih Lili Tampi | 3–15, 15–11, 15–10 | Gold |

### Asian Games

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan | Shim Eun-jung | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 15–9, 15–3 | Gold |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, Japan | Kang Kyung-jin | Yoo Yong-sung Chung So-young | 10–15, 12–15 | Silver |

### Asian Championships

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China | Shim Eun-jung | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 6–15, 8–15 | Bronze |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Shanghai Gymnasium, Shanghai, China | Yoo Yong-sung | Wang Xiaoyuan Liu Jianjun | 6–15, 15–6, 5–15 | Bronze |

### Asian Cup

Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China | Chung So-young | Chen Ying Wu Yuhong | 15–9, 15–5 | Gold |
| 1995 | Qingdao, China | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 7–15, 17–18 | Silver |
| 1996 | Olympic Gymnasium No. 2, Seoul, South Korea | Chung So-young | Indarti Issolina Deyana Lomban | 15–7, 15–8 | Gold |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, China | Yoo Yong-sung | Aryono Miranat Eliza Nathanael | 10–15, 16–18 | Bronze |

### IBF World Grand Prix (11 titles, 9 runners-up)

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since 1983.
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1994 | Swedish Open | Shim Eun-jung | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 9–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1994 | All England Open | Shim Eun-jung | Chung So-young Gil Young-ah | 15–7, 8–15, 4–15 | Runner-up |
| 1994 | Hong Kong Open | Shim Eun-jung | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 15–11, 18–14 | Winner |
| 1994 | China Open | Bang Soo-hyun | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 8–15, 2–15 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | Korea Open | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 15–13, 1–15, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1995 | All England Open | Gil Young-ah | Eliza Nathanael Zelin Resiana | 15–6, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1995 | Malaysia Open | Gil Young-ah | Julie Bradbury Joanne Wright | 10–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | Singapore Open | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 12–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | U.S. Open | Gil Young-ah | Kim Mee-hyang Kim Shin-young | 15–9, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1995 | Canadian Open | Gil Young-ah | Qin Yiyuan Tang Yongshu | 15–10, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1995 | Hong Kong Open | Gil Young-ah | Julie Bradbury Joanne Wright | 17–15, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1995 | China Open | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 12–15, 15–10, 3–15 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | Thailand Open | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 18–17, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1995 | World Grand Prix Finals | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 7–15, 12–15 | Runner-up |
| 1996 | Japan Open | Gil Young-ah | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 15–5, 14–17, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1996 | Korea Open | Gil Young-ah | Kim Mee-hyang Kim Shin-young | 11–15, 15–11, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1998 | Swedish Open | Ra Kyung-min | Huang Nanyan Liu Zhong | 15–12, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1998 | All England Open | Ra Kyung-min | Ge Fei Gu Jun | 7–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1993 | China Open | Yoo Yong-sung | Chen Xingdong Sun Man | 15–12, 9–15, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 1994 | Swedish Open | Yoo Yong-sung | Ron Michels Erica van den Heuvel | 15–9, 10–15, 18–17 | Winner |