In Barcelona in 1992, when women’s judo made its Olympic debut, Korea’s Kim Mi-jung was crowned the inaugural champion in the -72-kilogram division.
Turn the clock 32 years forward, and Kim, 53, will have a full circle moment this summer in Paris, where she will be coaching the South Korean women’s national team.
Kim, who took over the national team in 2021, will be making her third Olympic appearance, having served as a referee in Athens in 2004.
“When I look at these athletes train and compete, it takes me back to when I was an athlete myself,” Kim said Thursday during the national team’s open training session at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, 85 kilometers southeast of Seoul. “It’s been a difficult journey for them so far, and I am grateful that they have been following my lead all along.”
Sporting more than a few strands of gray hair, Kim broke into a smile and said, “Honestly, I think it was easier being an athlete than being a coach. I sometimes find myself in a rush and getting ahead of my athletes. Keeping myself in check has been really difficult.”
Following Kim’s gold in 1992, Cho Min-sun won 추천 the women’s -66kg title at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. South Korea has been shut out of women’s judo gold since then.
As much as Kim wants to see the drought end in Paris, she was also careful not to place too much burden on her athletes.
“Since I won a gold medal as an athlete, I want to coach one of my athletes to a gold medal too,” Kim said. “It’s possible, but there’s no guarantee. And I think if you want something too much, it can backfire. So I just want to create an environment where my athletes feel comfortable and can compete to the best of their abilities.”