NAN Shoryu

Because Korea was, at the time, occupied by Japanese forces, his participation at the Olympic Games was recorded under the Japanese name of Nan Shoryu. As a public school student Nam Sung-Yong achieved his first success as a long-distance runner in 1924. After graduation from high school in Korea he went on to attend Meiji University in Tokyo, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Beginning in 1932, Nam had good results at a number of national and international marathons including a second place at the Japan Athletics Championships behind non-Olympian Kozo Kusunoki. In 1935-37, Nam competed for Meiji in the Hakone Ekiden. At the Olympic Games Berlin 1936 he won the bronze medal in the marathon.

After World War II, Nam competed in the 1947 Boston Marathon, placing 12th at the age of 34. He later served as a track & field coach and director of the Korea Athletics Federation and was appointed professor at Chonnam National University. Like Son, he was awarded the Moran Medal of Civil Merit.