Han Pil-hwa

Han Pil-hwa (Korean: 한필화; Hanja: 韓弼花; born 21 January 1942 in Nampho, South Pyongan) is a female North Korean speed skater who competed in the 1964 Winter Olympics and in the 1972 Winter Olympics. She was the first woman to represent North Korea at the Olympics.[1]

In this Korean name, the family name is Han.
Han Pil-hwa at the 1967 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
Han Pil-hwa
Medal record
Representing  North Korea
Women's speed skating
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1964 Innsbruck3000 m

Speed skating

In 1964 she won the silver medal in the 3000 meter event and she became the first Winter Olympic medalist from either Koreas. In the 1500 meter competition she finished ninth and in the 500 meter contest she finished 28th.

Eight years later she finished ninth in the 3000 metres event, eleventh in the 1000 metres competition, and 13th in the 1500 metres contest.

Between 1963 and 1968 Han Pil-hwa was also a regular competitor at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women. In the 1965 championships in Oulu she was most successful with fifth place in the allround event. Her best single distance result was a third place in the 3000 meters at the 1966 championships in Trondheim.

Records

Over the course of her career, Han Pil-hwa posted the following best results:

Personal records, data from National All Time & Encyclopedia[2]
DistanceResultDateLocation
500 m44.925 Dec 1969Bujen
1,000 m1:32.326 Dec 1969Bujen
1,500 m2:24.225 Dec 1969Bujen
3,000 m5:03.726 Dec 1969Bujen
Mini combination189.73225/26 Dec 1969Bujen

Season best performances

Over the seasons, Han Pil-hwa skated the following best results:

Season best times, data from National All Time & Encyclopedia[3]
Season500m1000m1500m3000mRemark
1958/5952.71.48.22.50.66.07.0all set at the 1959 Kazach SSR Prize at Medeo, Alma-Ata[4]
1962/6346.81.36.12.30.05.37.2all set during the 1963 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women at Karuizawa
1963/6448.01.38.02.30.15.18.5
1964/6548.81.41.72.29.15.21.6all set during the 1965 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women at Oulu
1965/6648.71.37.32.34.35.10.9all set during the 1966 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women at Trondheim
1966/6748.11.41.42.28.25.19.9
1967/6848.61.38.32.30.75.21.2all set during the 1968 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women at Helsinki
1968/6947.21.36.42.29.45.17.0all set during a 1969 Socialist friendship meeting in Sverdlovsk[5]
1969/7044.91.32.32.24.25.03.7
1970/7147.441.34.72.29.65.07.1
1971/721.33.792.25.645.07.24all set during the 1972 Winter Olympics at Sapporo

Politics

After her career in sports, Han has held various offices in politics and sports administration. She became the chief secretary of the Speed Skating Association February 1986. She has also been deputy director general of the Guidance Bureau for Winter Sports of the National Sports Committee, head of the Technical Guidance Office for Winter Sports of the National Sports Committee, vice-chairwoman of the Korea Ice Skating Association, and vice-chairwoman of the Athletic Technique Union.[6]

Han is a member of the North Korean headquarter of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification since January 1991. She was elected to the country's parliament in 1998.[6]

References

Notes

  1. "First female competitors at the Olympics by country". Olympedia. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  2. Eng & Koolhaas 1987, p. 62
  3. Eng & Koolhaas 1987, pp. 58–59
  4. Preis der Kasachischen SSR via http://www.speedskatingnews.info
  5. Freundschaftswettkampf der Sozialistischen Länder via http://www.speedskatingnews.info
  6. North Korea Handbook. Seoul: Yonhap News Agency. 2002. p. 781. ISBN 978-0-7656-3523-5.

Bibliography

  • Eng, Trond; Koolhaas, Marnix (1987). National All Time & Encyclopedia Men / Ladies as at 1.7.87, Issue N°6: Africa, Asia, Oceania, Vol.2. Veggli, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt.
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