Huh Mi-mi defends Universiade title, winning gold at the 2025 FISU World University Games

Huh Mi-mi successfully defended her Universiade title on Wednesday, dominating Hungary’s Rozsa Gyertyas in the women’s 57-kilogram final to take gold at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Essen, Germany.

Huh Mi-mi of Korea reacts after winning her match against Pauline Starke of Germany for a Mixed Team match at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Aug. 3, 2024. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Huh Mi-mi successfully defended her Universiade title on Wednesday, dominating Hungary’s Rozsa Gyertyas in the women’s 57-kilogram final to take gold at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Essen, Germany.

The 22-year-old — a Japan-born Korean national — won by ippon with a clean seoi-nage throw after scoring earlier with osaekomi-waza (grappling). She looked in control throughout the bout and easily handled her opponent, who had no answer to Huh’s aggressive and technically sound offense.

“I’m happy I was able to win a second straight title,” Huh said after the match. “Since the Paris Olympics last year, I’ve been recovering from a shoulder injury and was out of rhythm. This win gave me a much-needed confidence boost.”

Huh also topped the podium in the same weight class two years ago at the 2023 Chengdu Universiade.

With the Essen gold medal, Huh wraps up her 2025 international season. She plans to take a short break before beginning full-scale preparations for next year’s Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. That tournament will mark her first appearance in the individual judo event at the Asian Games.

Huh acknowledged that her current fighting style has become predictable for opponents and said she is focused on broadening her skill set.

“My biggest goal now is to win the Asian Games in Japan,” she said. “To do that, I need to learn new techniques and unorthodox moves. I’m working hard on it.”

Judoka Huh Mi-mi salutes the Korean flag during a ceremony for issuing membership cards to descendants of independence patriots at the Liberation Hall in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on Aug. 14, 2024. [NEWS1]

Born and raised in Japan, Huh was once considered one of the country's top judo prospects. However, she moved to Korea in 2022, fulfilling the final wish of her grandmother, who had expressed a desire to see her granddaughter compete for the Korean national team. Huh gave up her Japanese citizenship and began representing Korea instead.

She first drew media attention as a fifth-generation descendant of Huh Suk (1857—1920), a renowned independence activist.

But she has since made her own name on the mat, winning Korea’s first women’s world judo championship gold in 29 years in the 57-kilogram category at the 2024 World Judo Championships. She followed that up with a silver medal in the women’s 57-kilogram and a bronze in the mixed team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This year marks both the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan's colonial rule (1910-1945) and the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. Huh has often told her coach and national team assistant Kim Jung-hoon that she wants to use sports as a bridge between the two countries.

She has also become a household name as a Zainichi Korean, who are ethnic Koreans living in Japan. Huh reportedly receives dozens of interview and appearance requests every day.

“When I first came to Korea, I didn’t know anything about the country,” she said. “But when I learned I was a descendant of an independence fighter, I started studying and learning more. Now I want to do things only a Zainichi Korean athlete can do.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY PIH JU-YOUNG [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]