Lee Hye-kyeong out of women's judo -48-kilogram

Olympic Sports

Published: 27 Jul. 2024, 17:44 Updated: 27 Jul. 2024, 18:42

Lee Hye-kyeong out of women's judo -48-kilogram

Lee Hye-kyeong, right, competes in the round of 32 in the women's -48-kilogram judo contest at the 2024 Paris Olympics against Sweden's Tara Babulfath at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris on Saturday. [YONHAP]

Korean judoka Lee Hye-kyeong lost to Sweden’s Tara Babulfath in the women’s -48-kilogram round of 32 at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

Korean judo world champion Huh Mi-mi joins veterans for first Olympics

Babulfath scored an Ippon, the highest score awarded in a contest, winning the round with a yoko-shiho-gatame, a side hold.

Sweden's Tara Babulfath defeats Korea's Lee Hye-kyeong in the round of 32 match of the women's -48-kilogram judo contest on Saturday at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris. [YONHAP]

The bout lasted two minutes and 45 seconds.

Lee, 28, is a first-time Olympian. She is also set to compete in a mixed team contest.

She qualified to the Games as the No. 8 seed in the women’s in -48-kilogram class. Babulfath, 18, entered the Olympics at No. 12.

Lee Hye-kyeong looks disappointed after losing the women's judo -48-kilogram round of 32 on Saturday in Paris. [YONHAP]

Eleven judokas, five men and six women, are representing Korea in judo at the Paris Olympics.

Kim Won-jin, An Ba-ul, Lee Joon-hwan, Han Ju-yeop and Kim Min-jong will compete across the men’s competition while Yoon Hyun-ji, Lee Hye-kyeong, Jung Ye-rin, Kim Ji-su, Kim Ha-yun and Huh Mi-mi will compete among the women.

Huh, the 2024 world champion in the women’s 57-kilogram division, will take the mat in the round of 16 on Monday.

Korea has 46 total medals in judo at the Olympics, including 11 gold.

Judo runs through Aug. 3 at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]