Samer Kamal facts for kids
 |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Jordanian |
| Born | 12 May 1966 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Taekwondo |
| Event(s) | Men's 1988 Seoul Olympics featherweight Bronze Medalist |
Samer Kamal (born May 12, 1966) is a famous taekwondo athlete from Jordan. He competed in the featherweight category, which is a specific weight division in the sport.
Samer Kamal won a silver medal at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, Korea. He returned to Seoul for the 1988 Olympics and earned a bronze medal, which is a huge achievement!
Contents
Samer Kamal's Achievements
Samer Kamal has reached very high levels in taekwondo. He holds a 9th Dan Black Belt from several important taekwondo organizations, including Kukkiwon (the World Taekwondo Headquarters). A "Dan" is a rank that shows how skilled and experienced a taekwondo practitioner is, with 9th Dan being one of the highest.
He has also become:
- A top-level World Taekwondo International Referee since 1999. This means he can judge big international taekwondo matches.
- A certified coach, helping other athletes improve their skills.
- A Kukkiwon Master and Examiner, which means he can teach and test other students for their black belts.
Championships and Medals
Samer Kamal was a champion in Jordan for many years. He won gold medals in the Jordan's National Championships, Jordan Universities Championships, and Jordan Military Championships multiple times in the 1980s.
He also competed in many international events, representing Jordan:
- Asian Taekwondo Championships in Singapore (1982) and Manila (1984).
- World Taekwondo Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark (1983) and Seoul, Korea (1989).
- Asian Championships in Australia (1986), where he won a bronze medal.
- World Cup Championships in Colorado, USA (1986).
- Asian Games in Seoul, Korea (1986), where he won a silver medal.
- World University Championships in the USA (1986), earning a silver medal.
- Belgium International Championships (1987, 1988, 1989), winning a silver medal in 1987.
- Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea (1988), where he won a bronze medal.
- Luxembourg International Championships (1988), winning a gold medal.
- World Games in Germany (1989).
Coaching the National Team
After his own successful career as a fighter, Samer Kamal became a coach for Jordan's national taekwondo teams. He helped train and guide other athletes in major international competitions:
- Coach for the Men's National Team at the Asian Championships in Manila, Philippines (1994).
- Coach for the Female Junior National Team at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain (1996) and Istanbul, Turkey (1998).
- Coach for the Female National Team at the Pan Arab Games in Beirut, Lebanon (1997), where they placed third.
- Technical Manager for the Men's National Team at the 4th Arab Championships in Cairo, Egypt (2003).
- Head of Team for both Men's and Female National Teams at the 16th Asian Championships in Seoul, Korea (2004).
Awards and Special Recognition
Samer Kamal has received many honors for his contributions to sports in Jordan.
- He was named the best Jordanian Athlete in both 1986 and 1988.
- In 1988, King Hussein Ben Talal gave him the Independence Badge of Honor (4th Degree). This is a special award from the King himself!
- In 1999, he was given the amazing title of Best Jordanian Athlete of the Century.
- In 2018 and 2019, he was recognized as the top-ranked Kukkiwon Master in the world.
See also
In Spanish: Samer Kamal para niños
- List of taekwondo grandmasters
