PARIS - South Korean judoka Kim Min-jong faced a bittersweet moment on Friday night at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, where he won a silver medal in the men’s +100-kilogram event at the Olympics but fell short of his gold medal aspirations, losing to French judo legend Teddy Riner.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim was emotional after his defeat to Riner, who secured his third Olympic gold in this weight class and his fifth Olympic medal overall. Riner’s dominance in judo is well recognized, having been honored with the privilege of lighting the Olympic cauldron at this year's opening ceremony on July 26.
Kim, at 23 years old and 20 centimeters shorter than Riner, had previously expressed confidence in overcoming the challenges posed by taller opponents and had hoped to showcase his abilities against Riner. However, he acknowledged that his preparations were insufficient compared to Riner’s tactics, which included a decisive hip throw that secured the ippon and the match for the Frenchman.
Reflecting on his performance, Kim discussed the psychological strategies he employed to cope with the overwhelmingly supportive crowd for Riner. He imagined the cheers were for him, which helped him manage the pressure of competing in a hostile environment. Despite this mental fortitude, Kim conceded that he was not yet at Riner’s level but viewed the experience as a critical learning opportunity for future competitions.
Kim remains determined to improve and achieve his goal of winning Olympic gold, viewing each competition as a step toward greater achievements in his judo career.