About Kim Ji-yeon
Kim Ji-yeon (Korean: 김지연; Korean pronunciation: [kim.dʑi.jʌn] or [kim] [tɕi.jʌn]; born 12 March 1988) is a South Korean left-handed sabre fencer. Kim is a five-time team Asian champion and four-time individual Asian champion. A three-time Olympian, Kim is a 2021 team Olympic bronze medalist and 2012 individual Olympic champion. Kim is the first South Korean woman to win an Olympic gold medal in fencing and the second South Korean to win any Olympic medal in fencing after Nam Hyun-hee's silver medal in individual women's foil at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. She is also the second South Korean fencer to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games, after Kim Young-ho's gold medal in individual men's foil at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. == Biography == Kim began fencing at age 13 as a foil fencer, but converted to sabre in high school at age 16 in 2004. Although she first became a member of the South Korean national fencing team at the age of 18 in 2006, Kim was often overshadowed by fellow sabre fencers Kim Hye-lim, Lee Shin-mi and Kim Keum-hwa, omitted from the final national squad before becoming a fixture in the 2011 season. Kim began to garner international attention at the 2011 Summer Universiade where she won the bronze medal in the women's individual sabre fencing. In the semifinals, Kim lost to two-time European champion and eventual gold medalist Olha Kharlan of Ukraine 15–10. She accumulated another bronze medal in the women's team sabre as a member of Team South Korea.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.