Korean judoka Heo Mi-mi (Gyeongbuk Sports Council) is set to compete for a gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan, where she grew up.
Heo will participate in the women's 57kg judo event at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya on October 1. This marks her first individual competition at the Asian Games, having only competed in the mixed team event at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Born in Japan in 2002, Heo began practicing judo locally and won the national middle school championship in her third year of middle school. She later attended Waseda University, pursuing a path as an elite athlete. However, her trajectory changed due to her grandmother's wishes.
Following her grandmother's passing in 2021, Heo renounced her Japanese citizenship to obtain South Korean nationality and proudly wears the Taegeuk mark. She is recognized as the fifth descendant of independence activist Heo Seok, who was imprisoned for posting anti-Japanese slogans during the colonial period, drawing significant attention.
Since donning the Taegeuk mark, Heo's career has flourished. She won the 2024 World Championships by defeating then-world No. 1 Krista Deguchi of Canada, marking the first world title for a South Korean female judoka in 29 years since Jeong Seong-sook (61kg) and Jo Min-sun (66kg) in 1995.
At the Paris Olympics, Heo reached the finals but lost to Deguchi in a golden score match, receiving three penalties. She earned a silver medal in the individual event and a bronze in the mixed team event. Although she memorized the national anthem to sing from the podium, she was unable to fulfill that dream. After dedicating her medals at her grandmother's grave, she vowed to return with a gold medal and sing the anthem. Coincidentally, this Asian Games is being held in her former homeland of Japan.
Despite facing challenges, including recent shoulder surgery, Heo has focused on improving her techniques to prepare for victory. She faces tough competition from Japan's Mio Shirakane and North Korea's Kim Hyun-a on her path to gold.
Heo expressed her determination, stating through her sports management company Brion Company on September 17, "I want to win a gold medal at this Asian Games to bring it to my grandmother's grave. I also want to sing the national anthem on the podium in Nagoya and Los Angeles, as I had planned for the Paris Olympics."
She added, "Thanks to my grandmother, I wear the Taegeuk mark, and I want to represent South Korea well until I can, to honor her and my country."
The South Korean judo team had a disappointing performance at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, securing only one gold, two silver, and six bronze medals, the lowest gold medal count in Asian Games history. This time, they aim to reclaim their honor by winning three individual golds and one team gold in the judo events held in the judo powerhouse nation.
On the first day of the judo competition, the start was rocky. On September 30, women's 48kg judoka Jeong Soo-jin (Yongin University) was disqualified for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams during the random weigh-in. Men's 60kg judoka Nam Ji-rim (Yangpyeong County) was eliminated in the round of 16. Women's 52kg judoka Jang Se-yoon (KH Philux) won a silver medal after losing in the finals to Shita Kadamboyeva of Uzbekistan, marking the first medal for South Korean judo at this event.
On October 1, Heo Mi-mi, along with men's 73kg judoka Ahn Jae-hong (Namyangju City Hall), men's 81kg judoka Lee Jun-hwan (Pohang City Hall), women's 63kg judoka Kim Ji-soo (Gyeongbuk Sports Council), and women's 70kg judoka Kim Hye-mi (Gwangju Transportation Corporation), will compete, aiming for multiple gold medals. Kim Ji-soo, like Heo, is a Korean-Japanese judoka.
On October 2, heavyweight competitors including men's 90kg judoka Kim Jong-hoon (Yangpyeong County), men's 100kg judoka Han Joo-yeop (High1), men's over 100kg judoka Kim Min-jong (Yangpyeong County), women's 78kg judoka Kim Min-joo (Gwangju Transportation Corporation), and women's over 78kg judoka Lee Hyun-ji (Yongin University) will take the mat. The mixed team event will take place on the final day, October 3.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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