'Grandpa, I earned my Olympic medals': Judoka Huh Mi-mi visits memorial altar after returning home

Olympian and judoka Huh Mi-mi, who won a silver medal and bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, visited the memorial altar of her great-grandfather, who was a Korean independence activist Huh Suk, on Tuesday in Gunwi County in Daegu.

Huh Mi-mi, the judoka who won a silver medal and bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, shows her medals at the memorial altar of her great-grandfather, who was an independence activist during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule, in Gunwi County in Daegu on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Olympian and judoka Huh Mi-mi, who won a silver medal and bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, visited the memorial altar of her great-grandfather, who was a Korean independence activist Huh Suk, on Tuesday in Gunwi County in Daegu.

Huh Mi-mi is a naturalized Korean athlete who was born in Japan to a Korean father and a Japanese mother. She followed her grandmother’s wish for her to become an athlete representing Korea.

“Grandpa, I earned my Olympic medals,” Huh said, laying down her two Olympic medals on the memorial stone at her grandfather’s grave. “I shall win a gold medal next time.”

She said she wanted to show the medals to her grandfather first before anyone else. She added that her grandfather would have been proud of her achievements if he was alive.

“Although it was overwhelming at first, now I am really happy to compete in competitions as a Korean representative,” Huh Mi-mi said.

Local officials in charge of sports, support for veterans and regional governance were also present at the memorial altar and celebrated the judoka’s achievements.

Huh won the silver medal in the women’s 57-kilogram final and the bronze medal in the mixed team event. She arrived in Korea on Monday.

Judoka Huh Mi-mi places her Olympic medals on a memorial stone for her great-grandfather, who was an independence activist during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule, in Gunwi County in Daegu on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]