The 42nd Seoul Metropolitan Judo Association President's Cup, serving as the final selection trial for the high school division of the 107th National Sports Festival, opened Saturday as Seoul's top judo prospects competed for spots on the city's national team.
Hosted and organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Judo Association and sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Sports Council, the tournament was held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Student Gymnasium. The competition serves both as a selection trial for Seoul's representatives at the 107th National Sports Festival, set for Jeju Island in October, and as a showcase to identify the next generation of talent who will carry Seoul judo forward.
Competitors faced off in weight-class bouts, displaying the skills they have honed in fierce contests for a place on Seoul's national team. The event also served as a platform to assess athletes comprehensively — evaluating technique, physical conditioning and tactical ability — to gauge their readiness for national-level competition.
The Seoul Metropolitan Judo Association plans to use the tournament to give athletes real-match experience and sharpen their performance, while strengthening the athlete development framework that links school sports with elite competition. The association will continue expanding training opportunities and competition access, particularly to help high school athletes make a stable transition to university and corporate teams.
Lee Cheon-woo, president of the Seoul Metropolitan Judo Association and head of the tournament, said he hoped athletes would fully demonstrate the skills they have worked to develop and complete the competition safely. He said he expects the selected athletes to enhance Seoul's standing at the National Sports Festival.
Lee also expressed gratitude to the coaches, parents and officials who have worked to develop athletes, and said the association will continue supporting efforts to identify top talent, improve performance and broaden participation in judo.
The Seoul Metropolitan Judo Association plans to use the tournament as a springboard to further systematize its talent identification and athlete development programs, and to strengthen Seoul judo's competitiveness through expanded competition and training support.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
