PARIS — Huh Mi-mi, a world champion judoka born in Tokyo to a Korean father and a Japanese mother, will compete for her first Olympic medal as a representative of South Korea at the Paris Olympics this Monday. Huh switched her sporting allegiance from Japan to South Korea in 2021, honoring her grandmother’s dying wish.
According to Yonhap News Agency, notably her descent from an independence fighter during the Japanese colonial period. This personal history adds a layer of significance to her representation of South Korea in international competitions. Huh clinched the 2024 world title in the women's -57 kilograms category in May, defeating the world No. 1, Christa Deguchi of Canada, who also has Japanese roots, in the final. The two are poised for a potential rematch in the final at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.
South Korea, historically strong in judo with 11 gold medals and 46 overall, has not won gold in this sport at the last two Olympics. Meanwhile, South Korea's men's archery team is also seeking to continue its dominance with a bid for a third consecutive Olympic gold at Les Invalides in Paris.