Heo Mi-mi shines with her golden throw in judo at the National Sports Festival

[Anchor]

Heo Mi-mi, a descendant of an independence activist who won a silver medal in judo at the Paris Olympics, has reached the top for the third consecutive time at the National Sports Festival, which has a special connection to her.

Despite suffering an injury that led to a bleeding toenail, she succeeded in a golden throw in just 13 seconds.

Reporter Ha Mu-rim has the story.

[Report]

Fans flock to see Heo Mi-mi, who has grown into the top star of judo.

Contrary to her gentle smile, Heo Mi-mi was fierce on the mat.

Although she moved up 6kg in weight class compared to the Olympics, she showcased overwhelming skill.

The only crisis she faced was an injury that caused her toenail to bleed during an extended match in the quarterfinals.

["(You seem to be hurt a lot, are you okay?) No, I'm fine."]

In the finals, she achieved a victory in just 13 seconds with a powerful throw.

Demonstrating her fighting spirit despite the injury, Heo Mi-mi won her third consecutive gold medal at the National Sports Festival, showcasing her peak performance.

[Heo Mi-mi/Gyeongbuk Sports Council: "I was bleeding a lot and it hurt right after the match, but now that I've won the gold medal, I feel better. I'm really happy, and honestly, I think the gold medal is better than the silver medal."]

Heo Mi-mi, born in Japan as a descendant of independence activist Heo Seok, first set foot on Korean soil in 2018 as part of the Korean team of overseas Koreans during her high school years, establishing her identity as a Korean.

Now, with the Taegeuk mark on her uniform, Heo Mi-mi has grown into a world-class athlete, and her sights are set on the Nagoya Asian Games in two years.

[Heo Mi-mi/Gyeongbuk Sports Council: "I want to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Go Asian Games gold medal!!"]

This is KBS News, Ha Mu-rim.