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- 'Paris Olympics Silver' Judo Athlete Heo Mi-mi"Nervous and burdened, but my goal is 金"
"We will work hard for the gold medal. Please look forward to it."
Heo Mi-mi (24, Gyeongbuk Sports Council), a member of South Korea's national judo team, shouted her goal: "Gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games." Born to a Korean father and Japanese mother, she held dual nationality in both South Korea and Japan until 2021. In 2021, she renounced her Japanese citizenship and chose South Korean nationality as a descendant of an independence activist.
At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games D-30 Media Day held at the National Team Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province on the 20th, Heo Mi-mi said, "Since this is my first Asian Games, I will do my best." She added, "Because it's being held in Japan, I feel a bit more nervous and burdened." As the birthplace of judo, as well as her mother's country and the nation whose citizenship she gave up, the competition naturally brings heightened tension and pressure.
Despite this, Heo Mi-mi's focus remains on the top of the podium. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she won a silver medal in the women's 57kg judo division and a bronze medal in the mixed team event. This will be her first Asian Games appearance. If she stands atop the podium at this tournament, she can claim her first Asian Games gold medal and overcome the lingering regrets from the Paris Olympics two years ago.
There are no lingering effects from surgery. After undergoing shoulder ligament surgery in March last year, she was eliminated in the second round of the World Championships, leaving her with regrets. However, in November last year at the International Judo Federation (IJF) Abu Dhabi Grand Slam held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), she defeated Italy's Giulia Carnel to claim first place, reaffirming her competitiveness. She now aims to carry this momentum through to this Asian Games being held in Japan.
If Heo Mi-mi can raise the Taegeukgi at the top of the podium at this tournament held in Japan, it would be an even more special achievement for her. She is a fifth-generation descendant of independence activist Heo Seok (1857–1920), who was imprisoned for posting anti-Japanese manifestos during the Japanese colonial period. After renouncing her Japanese nationality and choosing South Korean citizenship, she did so in accordance with her grandmother's dying wish: "I hope you can pursue your athletic career in Korea."
Heo Mi-mi smiled as she said, "I feel nervous and burdened, but many people are cheering for me, which gives me strength. I will work hard for the gold medal, so please look forward to it." Having directly declared her goal of winning a 'gold medal' at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Heo Mi-mi will compete on October 1 in pursuit of that "golden throw."
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*This content was translated by AI.
