Huh Mimi claims Asian Games judo gold for South Korea in Nagoya

At the Asian Games judo tournament in Nagoya, Japan, Huh Mimi claimed the gold medal in the women’s 57-kilogram division at the Aichi International Arena, standing atop the podium to hear the South Korean national anthem play as she held back tears.

Tears on the Podium at Aichi International Arena

The 2002-born judoka, representing the Gyeongbuk Sports Council, admitted that holding back emotion made it difficult to sing along fully. “I was holding back tears, so I couldn’t sing out loud,” Huh said after the ceremony. She reflected on her late grandmother, whose 2021 dying wish—that her granddaughter represent South Korea at the Olympic Games—altered the trajectory of her athletic career. “Without my grandmother’s words, I wonder if I could have come to Korea and pursued my athlete’s life,” she noted, expressing gratitude for the moment.

A Family Legacy and the Path to the Korean Flag

Born in Tokyo to a South Korean father and a Japanese mother, Huh established herself early in the Japanese youth circuit, winning the All-Japan Junior High School Judo Championships in 2017. She formally relinquished her Japanese citizenship in 2023.

Translating the Anthem Before the Paris and Nagoya Bouts

Ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, where she secured a silver medal, Huh used translation software to study the lyrics of the South Korean national anthem, known as Aegukga. Because she lost the Paris 2024 final to Canada’s Christa Deguchi, the anthem did not play at that venue. Standing in the country of her birth two years later as an Asian Games champion, she explained her familiarity with the song. “I can sing up to the fourth verse, though it’s not perfect, but I sing the first verse knowing every single meaning,” Huh said. She acknowledged the heavy expectations following her Olympic performance, adding, “I’m really glad that the effort I’ve put in bore fruit.”

Huh Recovers from Shoulder Surgery and Ligament Damage

The journey to the Nagoya podium involved significant physical hurdles. Following the Paris Olympics, Huh dealt with worsening ligament damage in her left shoulder, requiring surgery in November of that year. The ensuing rehabilitation kept her away from competition for an extended period, leading to outside doubts regarding her form. “It was the hardest time of my life,” she said, recalling frequent questions over whether she could climb back to the top.

Dominating the Nagoya Bracket Toward a Mixed Team Goal

In her opening match at the Asian Games, Huh defeated her Philippine opponent via ippon in 28 seconds following an initial waza-ari from a seoi-nage. She then defeated China’s Tao Yuying by ippon in one minute and 30 seconds in the quarterfinals, advanced past Shukurjon Aminova of Uzbekistan via penalty in the semifinals, and secured the gold by defeating Mongolia’s Terbish Ariunzaya with a minor inner reap (kouchi-gari) for an yuko advantage early in the final. “Usually I don’t score early in a match, but today after getting the yuko, I checked the clock and saw 3 minutes 50 seconds left. I thought, ‘How am I supposed to endure this?'” she said with a laugh. Huh confirmed her focus remains on the upcoming mixed team event and subsequent Olympic preparation.

Medal Results for Lee Joon-hwan and Kim Ji-su

In other judo events at the venue, South Korean competitor Lee Joon-hwan secured a bronze medal in the men’s 81-kilogram division by defeating Iran’s Elias Parhizgar via armlock (ude-hishigi-juji-gatame) in extra time. Meanwhile, third-generation Zainichi Korean athlete Kim Ji-su competed in the women’s 63-kilogram division, narrowly dropping her bronze-medal bout.