South Korea's Lee Hyun-ji (Yongin University) earned a silver medal in her first Asian Games appearance in the women's +78kg judo category.
On October 2, at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, Lee faced China's New Xinran in the final, where she lost by ippon after being caught in a leg sweep.
Lee initially took control of the match, securing a grip on New within the first 40 seconds. She gained an advantage with a valid score from a leg sweep about a minute and 20 seconds into the match.
However, her lead was short-lived. During a gripping exchange, New seized Lee's left arm, destabilizing her before executing a leg sweep. Unable to maintain her balance, Lee fell to the mat, prompting the referee to declare ippon.
With this defeat, Lee's record against New stands at four matches with four losses.
Lee's journey to the final was smooth. In the quarterfinals, she quickly defeated Thailand's Ton Tan Satchadet with a hip throw just 10 seconds into the match. In the semifinals, she overcame Japan's strong competitor Mukunoki Miki with a valid score from a leg sweep.
Lee is the daughter of Lee Chi-hoon, the executive director of the Jeju Island Wrestling Association and a former wrestler. She made her national team debut as the youngest player while in her first year at Namnyeong High School.
Having won the gold medal at the 2024 International Judo Federation (IJF) World Youth Championships, Lee has proven her competitiveness on the senior stage. In March, she secured her spot in this competition by defeating Kim Ha-yoon (Ansan City Hall), the gold medalist from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, in the national team selection trials.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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