Kim Ha-yoon ends 34-year gold drought in judo

Kim Ha-yoon won gold in the women’s over-78-kilogram division at the World Judo Championships on June 20 in Budapest, Hungary, becoming the first South Korean in 34 years to claim the title in the heaviest women’s weight class.

Ranked No. 5 in the world, Kim defeated Japan’s Arai Mao, 22 and ranked No. 7, in the final by hansoku-make (disqualification). The match ended 41 seconds into golden score after Arai received her third shido for avoiding grips. Kim had lost her two previous matches against Arai. The win also gave South Korea its first gold in the individual events at this year’s championships, which concluded that day.

It marked Korea’s first world title in the division since Moon Ji-yoon won in the over-72kg category at the 1991 World Championships in Barcelona. The country has yet to capture Olympic gold in the division, which has long been viewed as a weak point for Korean judo. Kim is now seen as a breakthrough figure in the women’s heavyweight class. She won gold at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Korea’s first in the division, and added two bronze medals at last year’s Paris Olympic individual and mixed team events.

“It still doesn’t feel real that I’ve won a world title in this weight class after 34 years,” Kim told The Dong-A Ilbo. “I want to challenge for gold at the Asian Championships and Olympics to become the first Korean woman to achieve a Grand Slam.” If successful, she would also become the first Olympic gold medalist in this weight class for Korea.

Kim began judo relatively late, taking it up in her third year of middle school at the suggestion of a physical education teacher. She quickly climbed the ranks, winning the national high school girls’ sports festival three years in a row. Though not especially large for a heavyweight at 178 centimeters and 113 kilograms, she is known for her quick footwork and agility. “Ha-yoon has excellent technique and composure," said National women’s team coach Jeong Seong-sook, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist. "Ahead of the tournament, she left the Jincheon Training Center to train at Taereung, where sparring with male middle and high school athletes helped her regain her edge.”

Kim faced setbacks after last year’s Olympics, struggling with knee and shoulder injuries. She placed fifth at both the Tokyo Grand Slam in December and the Paris Grand Slam in February. Rising star Lee Hyun-ji, 18, of Namnyeong High School, also began attracting attention. At this year’s national team trials, Kim finished second to Lee, but both earned spots at the world championships after the Korea Judo Association designated the women’s heavyweight category a strategic division. Kim defeated Lee in the quarterfinals by hansoku-make.

Their rivalry is expected to intensify ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With her latest win, Kim leads their head-to-head record 2-1. Kim is known for her speed and experience, while Lee, taller and heavier at 181 centimeters and 133 kilograms, relies on her size and strength. The two train together on the national team, pushing each other to improve.

Lee, currently ranked No. 4 in the world, earned bronze by throwing Marit Kamps of the Netherlands with a harai-goshi for ippon in the bronze medal match. In the men’s over-100kg category, Kim Min-jong also took bronze by defeating Tamerlan Bashaev of Russia, competing as a neutral athlete, with a waza-ari via ouchi-gari. South Korea finished the individual events at the world championships with one gold and three bronze medals, placing sixth overall.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com