"Place the South Korean flag at the very top of the podium" — Judo star Lee Jun-hwan vows for 'first gold medal' [Jincheon field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jun-hwan (24, Pohang City Hall), a top representative of South Korea's judo team preparing for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, has declared his determination to stand at the very top of the podium in Japan, the birthplace of judo.

After finishing the public training session for the D-30 Media Day of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at the national athletes' village in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province on the 20th, Lee met with reporters and said, "I think it would be meaningful to defeat Japanese athletes, win a gold medal, and raise the South Korean flag at the highest point of the podium."

He added, "When it comes to a Korea-Japan match, not only in judo but in all sports, there is a lot of attention. If (the gold medal) becomes reality, I think I will feel very proud and honored even by myself."

Lee won a silver medal in the men's 81kg judo division at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This tournament is one where he aims solely for gold, seeking to overcome the regrets of not reaching the top in those two previous competitions.

He emphasized, "Because I didn't win gold medals in Hangzhou and Paris, I am now highly motivated. I believe this has been an opportunity for me to work harder and grow accordingly. Now, it seems all that remains is to prove myself with a gold medal at the Asian Games."

Just ahead of the tournament, he is brimming with confidence. He claimed victory at the June Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam in Mongolia, which served as a precursor to the Asian Games. It was an achievement where he defeated the world's No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players in the quarterfinals and finals, respectively, to reach the top.

He reflected, "I approached the competition thinking of it as the final check before the Asian Games. I didn't feel physically exhausted, and even against overseas athletes, I was not at all outmatched in terms of strength. I believe my technical aspects have also improved significantly. I am confident that I will be able to showcase overwhelmingly impressive judo."

Lee continued, "My weight used to be around 83kg, but now it has increased to about 87–88kg due to a significant increase in muscle mass. I believe I have a clear advantage over opponents in terms of stamina and strength, so I am training with confidence. However, I must carefully manage my pace to ensure that confidence does not turn into arrogance. It would be better to approach the competition with a calmer mindset and make more measured judgments."

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*This content was translated by AI.