Tokyo-born judoka Huh Mimi secured the women’s under-57kg gold medal at the Asian Games held in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, competing for South Korea in accordance with her late grandmother’s wish. The 23-year-old, who previously represented Japan until 2021, defeated Mongolia’s Ariunzaya Terbish in a closely contested final to claim the title.

Huh, an Olympic silver medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has a Korean father and Japanese mother. She made the switch to represent South Korea following her grandmother’s request, who was a descendant of a Korean independence fighter during the Japanese colonial period. The grandmother’s final wish was for Huh to compete under the South Korean flag.

Reflecting on her victory in the country where she was born, Huh described the experience as “a long and difficult journey” marked by considerable pressure and high expectations. However, messages of support emphasizing her health and well-being eased some of the burden. “Hearing that helped me go into the competition with a much clearer mentality,” she said after the match.

The final against Ariunzaya was tightly contested and went the full duration, with Huh edging out her opponent by yuko, a narrow scoring margin in judo. Her victory marked South Korea’s first gold medal in judo at this year’s Asian Games.

Huh acknowledged her inexperience in leading early in matches. “I looked up at the clock and saw that there were still three minutes and 50 seconds left. I thought, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’ So I just kept hanging in there,” she said.

Her transition from representing Japan to South Korea has been a notable development in her career, blending personal legacy and athletic achievement as she honored her family history while continuing to compete at the highest level.