Korean judoka sets sights on Asian Games gold in native Japan
JINCHEON — Tokyo-born Korean judoka Huh Mimi said Thursday she will lean on support from her loved ones in her pursuit of an Asian Games gold medal in her native Japan next month. Born to a Korean father and a Japanese mother, Huh used to compete for Japan earlier in her career. She began representing Korea in 2021 to honor a dying wish of her grandmother. Huh, 23, is also a descendant of a…
JINCHEON — Hailing from Tokyo, Korean judoka Huh Mimi is eyeing an Asian Games gold medal in her ancestral homeland of Japan next month. Born to a Korean father and a Japanese mother, Huh initially competed for Japan during the early stages of her career. In 2021, she switched allegiance to represent Korea in honor of a dying wish from her grandmother.
Adding to her personal significance, Huh is a descendant of a Korean independence fighter who fought against Japanese colonial rule. This rich history, coupled with her meteoric rise to international prominence, propelled Huh into the spotlight in Korean sports. Despite claiming Olympic silver and a world title in 2024, Huh faced a challenging road to recovery, undergoing shoulder surgery in March of the previous year.
She admitted during a joint press conference with the South Korean Asian Games delegation at the Jincheon National Training Center, "The rehabilitation process after the surgery was incredibly difficult, and I even questioned whether I would ever manage to reach the podium again." However, Huh managed to bounce back, clinching a gold medal in the women's category in November of the same year.
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- Korean judoka sets sights on Asian Games gold in native Japan koreatimes.co.kr
