Ri Kyong-ok (Korean: 리경옥; born January 3, 1980, in Pyongyang) is a North Korean judoka, who competed in the women's extra-lightweight category.[1] She picked up four medals (one gold, two silvers, and one bronze) each in the 48-kg division at the 2001 World Judo Championships in Munich, Germany, 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, and Asian Championships (2001 and 2004), and represented her nation North Korea at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[2][3]

Ri Kyong-ok
Personal information
Full nameRi Kyong-ok
Nationality North Korea
Born (1980-01-03) 3 January 1980 (age 44)
Pyongyang, North Korea
Height1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Weight48 kg (106 lb)
Sport
SportJudo
Event48 kg
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl
리경옥
Revised RomanizationI Gyeongok
McCune–ReischauerRi Kyŏngok
Medal record
Women's judo
Representing  North Korea
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2001 Munich 48 kg
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Busan 48 kg
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2001 Ulaanbaatar 48 kg
Silver medal – second place 2004 Almaty 48 kg

Ri emerged herself in the international scene at the 2001 World Judo Championships in Munich, Germany, where she earned a silver medal in the 48-kg division, losing the final match to Japanese judoka and 2000 Olympic champion Ryoko Tani by a referee's decision.[2][4] When her neighboring South Korea hosted the Asian Games in Busan the following year, Ri claimed an ippon victory over Kazakhstan's Tatyana Shishkina to share bronze medals with China's Shao Ran in the same division.[3][5]

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Ri qualified for the North Korean squad in the women's extra-lightweight class (48 kg), by placing second and receiving a berth from the Asian Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. She lost her opening match to Turkish judoka and two-time Olympian Neşe Şensoy Yıldız, who scored a single waza-ari point and threw her down the tatami with a harai makikomi (hip sweep wraparound) throughout the five-minute limit.[6][7]

References edit

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ri Kyong-ok". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Aussies Too Tough for U.S." Los Angeles Times. 30 July 2001. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Busan is bursting as Asian Games begin". JoongAng Ilbo. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Beaming Tamaru wins record five titles in a row". Hürriyet Daily News. 31 July 2001. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  5. ^ "DPR Korea hopes for 4th place". Xinhua. 28 September 2002. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Judo: Women's Extra-Lightweight (48kg/106 lbs) Repechage Round 3". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Judoda Neşe Şensoy Yıldız elendi" [Neşe Şensoy Yıldız is eliminated in judo] (in Turkish). Zaman. 14 August 2004. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.