Huh Mimi wins silver medal in judo
Huh Mimi of South Korea poses with her silver medal won in the women's -57-kilogram judo event at the Paris Olympics at Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, July 29. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Huh Mimi grabbed the silver medal in the women's -57-kilogram judo competition at the Paris Olympics on Monday, giving South Korea its first medal in her sport in the French capital.
Huh lost to Christa Deguchi of Canada in the final at Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris.
The two needed an extra period to determine the winner on a sudden-death, golden score. Huh and Deguchi each had two "shidos," or warnings, with a third shido ending the match in favor of the opponent.
Huh was the more aggressive of the two in the extra time but then was hit with her third shido for false attack at the 6:35 mark, as Deguchi was declared the winner.
Huh Mimi of South Korea, left, competes against Christa Deguchi of Canada in the finals of the women's -57-kilogram judo event at the Paris Olympics at Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, July 29. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Huh was trying to deliver South Korea's first women's judo gold since 1996.
This was the rematch of the final at the world championships in May in Abu Dhabi, where Huh had defeated the Canadian for her first world title.
"It was a close call in the final, but at least I won a medal," Huh said. "I really wanted to win a gold medal here. I will try to win it at the next Olympics."
Huh, 21, was born in Tokyo to a Korean father and a Japanese mother. She competed for Japan earlier in her career but began representing South Korea in 2021 to honor a dying wish of her grandmother.
Huh is also a descendant of a Korean independence fighter from the Japanese colonial period. (Yonhap)
Huh Mimi celebrates after winning Brazil's Rafaela Silva in the semi-final round of the women's -57-kilogram judo event at the Paris Olympics at Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris, July 29. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul