Photo: Griff88 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Zhang Nan is, to me, the quiet engine of China's golden badminton era. His mixed doubles work with Zhao Yunlei, crowned by gold in London 2012 and three world titles, showcased net play so sharp it bordered on art. What impresses me most is his versatility: excelling in both men's and mixed doubles is genuinely uncommon at the elite level. After settling for bronze in Rio, he didn't fade but climbed back to a 2017 world title. I value that kind of resilient, craftsman-like consistency far more than flashier reputations, and Zhang earned every bit of his standing.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Zhang Nan
- Name (Japanese)
- 張楠 (バドミントン選手)
- Reading
- 張楠 (ばどみんとん選手)
- Born
- March 1, 1990 (age 36)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Horse
- Origin
- Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Height
- 183 cm
- Occupation
- badminton player / Olympic competitor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2012 Olympic gold medal
- 2016 Olympic bronze medal
- 2017 world champion
- national champion
- Asian champion
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Zhang Nan born?
Born March 1, 1990 (age 36).
Where is Zhang Nan from?
Zhang Nan is from Beijing, People's Republic of China.
What does Zhang Nan do?
Zhang Nan works as badminton player, Olympic competitor.
How tall is Zhang Nan?
Zhang Nan is 183 cm.
Badminton player — see all → · Olympic competitor — see all → · More people from People's Republic of China →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.