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[스포츠뉴스]For Judoka Kim Ha-yun, world championship gold isn't a comeback, it's just the beginning

온카뱅크관리자

2025-07-10 16:03:00

<div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/07/10/0000073221_001_20250710160310853.jpg" alt="" />Judoka Kim Ha-yun poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Taereung Training Center in northern Seoul on July 4. [JOONGANG ILBO] </div> </div> Kim Ha-yun showcased her skills by winning the judo world championship title this summer, just months after injury sidelined her from the national team &#8212; now she is setting her sights on the Asian Games and hoping her beloved baseball team, the Lotte Giants, can end their own decades-long Korean Series title drought too. The 25-year-old judoka captured gold in the women’s over-78 kilogram (172-pound) division at the World Judo Championships in Budapest on June 20 by beating Japan’s Arai Mao in the final with three shido penalties, earning Korea's first gold in the division since 1991, when Moon Ji-yoon won in the then-over-72 kilogram category. “I thought I’d feel satisfied after reaching the top of the world, but I’m hungrier than ever,” Kim said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Taereung Training Center in northern Seoul on July 4. “It’s not the Olympics, which only come once every four years. I can’t let my guard down just because I won the world championships. Now I feel more pressure to stay at the top.” The odds were firmly stacked against her. After the Paris Olympics last August, she suffered back-to-back knee and shoulder injuries and was sidelined from competition for nearly six months. She skipped international events, including the Paris Grand Slam this February, and lost her top national team spot to 18-year-old prospect Lee Hyun-ji. Kim only earned a chance to compete at the world championships because the Korea Judo Association designated her weight class as a strategic division, allowing two athletes to participate, sending her to the tournament as the second seed. Her rapid return to form stemmed from an unconventional training decision. While most female judokas spar with middle or high school boys to manage strength disparity, Kim insisted on training with two adult male coaches &#8212; both former national team members: Kim Jeong-hoon from the 100-kilogram division and Kwon Young-woo from 81-kilogram division. Top-tier competitors in Kim’s weight class often exceed 130 kilograms. Kim Ha-yun relied on precision and power conditioning with her coaches. “Every time I stepped on the mat with Ha-yun, I told myself, ‘I’m still an active athlete,’” Kim Jeong-hoon said. That training helped her defeat Lee Hyun-ji &#8212; who weighs 138 kilograms &#8212; in the quarterfinals en route to the title. <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/07/10/0000073221_002_20250710160311162.jpg" alt="" />Kim Ha-yun celebrates after beating Mao Arai of Japan to win the final of women's 78-kilogram category of the World Judo Championships in Budapest on June 19. [EPA/YONHAP] </div> </div> “I learned how to handle bigger opponents without needing to bulk up,” Kim said. “Now, I feel confident going up against anyone.” Her resurgence sets the stage for a high-stakes rematch with Lee for Korea’s sole spot at the upcoming Asian Games. “We’re close, and training together is so brutal that we’ve cried and cheered each other on,” Kim said. “But only one of us gets to go. I need to win when we face off.” Kim is known for her clutch performances. She was the only Korean judoka &#8212; man or woman &#8212; to win gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. At the Paris Olympics, she earned bronze, becoming the first Korean woman in her weight class to medal at the Games since Kim Sun-young’s bronze in 2000. Born in Busan, Kim is also a die-hard fan of the Giants, her hometown baseball team. After winning gold in Budapest, she raised her right hand and flashed the team’s “promise ceremony” gesture &#8212; a thumb-and-pinky wave made famous by Giants infielder Na Seung-yeup. “It took 34 years for Korea to win in this weight class again,” she said. “The Giants haven’t won in 33 years. I really hope this is the year for them.” Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

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