Zhang Jun (simplified Chinese: 张军; traditional Chinese: 張軍; pinyin: Zhāng Jūn; born November 26, 1977, in Suzhou, Jiangsu) is a former male badminton player from the People's Republic of China. He is now a coach with the Chinese national team following his retirement as an international player.

Career

As a doubles specialist, the solidly built Zhang Jun won several international men's doubles titles with compatriot Zhang Wei including the Swiss (1998), China (2001), and Thailand (2005) Opens. However, the majority of his titles, and the most prestigious ones, came in mixed doubles when he teamed up with the formidable Gao Ling. These included consecutive gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, earned by surviving a number of very close matches, particularly in 2000 when they were on the verge of elimination in the semifinals. In a similar fashion, Zhang and Gao captured the 2001 IBF World Championships by squeezing past the brilliant South Korean duo Kim Dong-moon and Ra Kyung-min 17-16 in the third game. Zhang's other titles with Gao include three victories (2001, 2003, and 2006) at the prestigious All-England Championships; the Badminton Asia Championships in 2002; the China Masters in 2005; and the China (2002, 2003), Japan (2003), Indonesia (2004), Malaysia (2004, 2006), Thailand (2005), Singapore (2005), and German (2006) Opens.

Zhang had the honor of being an Olympic torch carrier at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Games.

After retirement, Zhang Jun coached the Chinese national badminton team. He was promoted to head coach of the national badminton doubles team in 2017, before being selected as vice chairman of the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) in 2018.

On January 28, 2019, Zhang Jun was elected as the chairman of Chinese Badminton Association.

Zhang Jun, as president of the Chinese Badminton Association, competed with Khunying Patama, his counterpart from the Badminton Association of Thailand and Anton Aditya Subowo, president of Badminton Asia, for the position of BWF deputy president but lost; Patama was elected deputy president in May 2019, during the Sudirman Cup tournament in Nanning, China.

Personal life

Zhang Jun married synchronised swimmer Hu Ni in 2006. Their son was born in 2009. (Zhang Jun's former doubles partner Cai Yun, whom he later also coached, married Hu Ni's teammate Wang Na in 2010.)

Achievements

Olympic Games

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
2000The Dome, Sydney, AustraliaChina Gao LingIndonesia Trikus Haryanto Indonesia Minarti Timur1–15, 15–13, 15–11Gold
2004Goudi Olympic Hall, Athens, GreeceChina Gao LingUnited Kingdom Nathan Robertson United Kingdom Gail Emms15–1, 12–15, 15–12Gold

World Championships

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1999Brøndby Arena, Copenhagen, DenmarkChina Zhang WeiSouth Korea Ha Tae-kwon South Korea Kim Dong-moon6–15, 15–17Bronze

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
2003National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, EnglandChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min7–15, 8–15Silver
2001Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, SpainChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min15–10, 12–15, 17–16Gold

Asian Games

Mixed Doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1998Thammasat Gymnasium 2, Bangkok, ThailandChina Qin YiyuanSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min3–15, 6–15Bronze

Asian Championships

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1998Bangkok, ThailandChina Zhang WeiSouth Korea Ha Tae-kwon South Korea Kang Kyung-jin15–12, 11–15, 13–15Silver
1999Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaChina Zhang WeiSouth Korea Ha Tae-kwon South Korea Kim Dong-moon6–15, 4–15Silver

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1997Bangkok, ThailandChina Liu LuChina Yang Ming China Qian Hong15–12, 17–16Gold
2002Bangkok, ThailandChina Gao LingThailand Khunakorn Sudhisodhi Thailand Saralee Thungthongkam11–7, 11–8Gold

IBF World Grand Prix (16 titles, 11 runners-up)

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since 1983.

Men's doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1998Swedish OpenChina Yang MingIndonesia Candra Wijaya Indonesia Tony Gunawan3–15, 6–15Runner-Up
1998Swiss OpenChina Zhang WeiChina Liu Yong China Yu Jinhao17–15, 15–7Winner
2000Thailand OpenChina Zhang WeiIndonesia Sigit Budiarto Indonesia Halim Haryanto15–5, 15–10Winner
2001China OpenChina Zhang WeiChina Chen Qiqiu China Liu Yong7–1, 4–7, 8–6 4–7, 7–5Winner

Mixed doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
2006Macau OpenChina Gao LingDenmark Thomas Laybourn Denmark Kamilla Rytter Juhl19–21, 20–22Runner-up
2006Malaysia OpenChina Gao LingDenmark Jonas Rasmussen Denmark Britta Andersen19–21, 21–14, 21–15Winner
2006China MastersChina Gao LingChina Xie Zhongbo China Zhang Yawen16–21, 21–10, 20–22Runner-up
2006All England OpenChina Gao LingEngland Nathan Robertson England Gail Emms12–15, 17–15, 15–1Winner
2006German OpenChina Gao LingChina Xie Zhongbo China Zhang Yawen15–11, 15–12Winner
2005China MastersChina Gao LingSingapore Hendri Kurniawan Saputra Singapore Li Yujia15–7, 15–13Winner
2005Singapore OpenChina Gao LingThailand Sudket Prapakamol Thailand Saralee Thungthongkam10–15, 15–7, 15–5Winner
2004Indonesia OpenChina Gao LingEngland Robert Blair England Natalie Munt15–9, 15–9Winner
2004Malaysia OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Yong-hyun South Korea Lee Hyo-jung15–2, 15–11Winner
2004Swiss OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min2–15, 8–15Runner-up
2003China OpenChina Gao LingChina Chen Qiqiu China Zhao Tingting15–13, 15–6Winner
2003Hong Kong OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min7–15, 10–15Runner-up
2003German OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min12–15, 15–11, 8–15Runner-up
2003Indonesia OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min15–10, 11–15, 6–15Runner-up
2003Japan OpenChina Gao LingDenmark Jens Eriksen Denmark Mette Schjoldager9–11, 11–8, 11–9Winner
2003All England OpenChina Gao LingChina Chen Qiqiu China Zhao Tingting11–6, 11–7Winner
2002China OpenChina Gao LingChina Chen Qiqiu China Zhao Tingting11–4, 11–4Winner
2001All England OpenChina Gao LingDenmark Michael Søgaard Denmark Rikke Olsen10–15, 15–8, 15–9Winner
2001Korea OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min8–15, 11–15Runner-up
2000Thailand OpenChina Gao LingEngland Simon Archer England Joanne Goode15–13, 15–12Winner
2000Swiss OpenChina Gao LingSouth Korea Kim Dong-moon South Korea Ra Kyung-min8–15, 9–15Runner-up
1999China OpenChina Gao LingChina Liu Yong China Ge Fei8–15, 5–15Runner-up
1999Denmark OpenChina Gao LingChina Liu Yong China Ge Fei12–15, 14–17Runner-up

External links