Korean Judo Overcomes 'Difference in Weight' Overcomes Germany in Mixed Team Competition 'Winning Bronze Medal'
Aug 04, 2024
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South Korea defeated Germany 4-3 in the bronze medal match for the judo mixed team at the 2024 Paris Olympics held at the Chandmars Stadium in Paris, France on the 4th (Korea time). The mixed team event, first introduced at the Tokyo Games, involves three men (73kg class, 90kg class, 90kg class) and three women (57kg class, 70kg class, 70kg class) and the team that wins the fourth victory. South Korea defeated Germany, which won the bronze medal in the event three years ago, to win the bronze medal. South Korea's judo team finished the tournament with two silver medals and three bronze medals, adding one bronze medal.
South Korea had to fight a weight gap. South Korea does not have any athletes in the men's 73kg class and women's 70kg class. An Baul (Namyangju City Hall) of the men's 66kg class had to fight in the 73kg class, and Kim Ji-soo (Gyeongbuk Sports Council) of the women's 63kg class had to fight in the women's 70kg class. Lee Joon-hwan (Yongin University) of the men's 81kg class also fought in the 90kg class on behalf of Han Joo-yeop (Hiwon). Germany, on the other hand, had a physical advantage, with all players facing the same or lower weight classes compared to individual competitions. To make matters worse, Kim Min-jong (Yangpyeong-gun Office) injured his knee in the men's 100kg or more final the day before.
However, Korea has shown its fighting spirit to overcome all these inferiorities. Lee Joon-hwan, who was the first runner, lost one game after giving up half of each to Morrottling and Not Chilling amid physical inferiority. Since then, Kim Ha-yoon and Kim Min-jong, the female and male heavyweight signs, have come out one after another to bring victory. Kim Ha-yoon won the women's 70kg or higher class by combining the half with a waist turn in 38 seconds and the half with a side press in 51 seconds. Kim Min-jong, who competed in the men's 90kg or higher class, won the half with a thigh walk at 2:45 and then filled the other half with a vertical press with 5 seconds left.
The fourth runner, Heo Mi-mi (Gyeongbuk Sports Council), easily won the women's 57kg class, which was originally her weight class. However, An Baul and Kim Ji-soo, who failed to make a difference in weight class, lost in succession, making the score 3-3, which later led to the Golden Score game.
The weight class of the Golden Score match, which will determine the winner, was set at the men's 73kg class as a result of the lottery. This weight class An Baul was defeated only a few minutes ago after a bloody battle with Igor Vantk, who was about 6kg heavier than himself. However, An'Baul played valiantly again and won the foul after 5 minutes and 25 seconds. An Baul, who gave his team its fourth win in the previous consolation match, also won the bronze medal match, becoming the top contributor to the bronze medal.
vanbasten@sportschosun.com
