Empowered Female Judo

"Sometimes wish my arms torn apart!"

Sleet was raining down on the tracks in the Taenung Athletes` village yesterday morning.

Female judo athletes on the national team were running on the tracks through the harsh wind and snow. It had not passed one hour before they began to slow down and appear about to collapse. Knowing they are seasoned through hard training, it was hard to believe.

But there was a good reason. They were running with small bags full of grounded metal wrapped on their wrist. Now, it became understandable how hard it was for them. Each athlete had to wear two bags, each of which was filled up with 500g (or approximately, 1.1lbs) of grounded metal. The bags were imported from Italy, and the female judo athletes first used them for training purposes in Korea.

"Feel like having a hammer on my shoulder." "Is there anybody who could take care of my arms?"

They were crying for help all the time. But their coach Kim Do-june would not budge at all. Rather, he pushed the envelope and spurred them two more rounds.

In the Sydney Olympics in 2000, South Korea ended up with no gold medal at all. From last year, however, people began to predict that they would restore their glory of the past again. Behind the transformation lies this harsh training.

Right after the Sydney Olympics, the national judo team underwent a dynamic transformation. It was organized with new players and staff members. Even the former star players could not remain on the team. Thus, people first considered the new team as the weakest of the weakest.

But the new members got together and asked voluntarily for the harsh training, and their sweats began to reap in. The female athletes finished the 400m track faster than their male counterparts. About a year ago, they started wearing the bags during training. Then, their power and skills have continued improving day after day.

Cho Soo-hee (78kg-class, Yongin Univ.), who has won a gold medal in the Busan Asian Games and two championships in Europe, said, "At first, I felt really burdensome with bags on my wrists. So, I ran from time to time without them. But, working more with them, I found the power of my upper body growing."

Bae Eun-hae also said, "I`ve built up strength. With more strength, I could easily learn various skills." Previously, she lacked the power in her upper body due to her previous career as a track and field athlete.

Participating in 4 championships held in Europe last winter, Korean female athletes won all four of the extended matches. In terms of power, it would be fair to say that they top the world. This year alone, they won 4 gold medals, twice for last year. But it was not a play of luck.

"When I first met them, I could not find any world star among them. Now, I point to four to five athletes who could topple the world. We will show you what we have built up in the upcoming Osaka World Championship. Count on us."

Kim`s remarks did not sound as a bluff at all, looking at how they train.

Sang-Ho Kim hyangsan@donga.com