PARIS—South Korean judoka Kim Min-jong clinched a silver medal in the heaviest weight class of men's judo at the Paris Olympics, coming in second to French judo legend Teddy Riner. The final match saw Kim losing by ippon in the +100-kilogram category at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim faced Riner in a tightly contested four-minute final on Friday, where he was defeated by a harai-goshi, a judo hip throw executed by Riner with just 16 seconds remaining. This victory awarded Riner his third Olympic gold medal, reinforcing his dominance in the sport. Kim’s performance contributed to South Korea's successful judo run this year, which also saw Kim Ha-yun take bronze in the women's +78kg event earlier that day.
The silver medal marks a significant achievement for Kim Min-jong, who became the first South Korean male judoka to reach the final in the heaviest division of the competition. His feat adds to South Korea’s overall tally of two silver and two bronze medals in individual judo events at these games. The nation looks forward to further competition in the mixed team event scheduled for Saturday.
Teddy Riner, a celebrated figure in judo, received strong local support during the match, notably in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. Riner's victory in Paris adds to his impressive Olympic record, now holding medals from five consecutive games, including two previous golds and two bronzes.