An Chang-Rim at 32: The relentless rival who carved his own legacy

For almost a decade, whenever the U73kg division took center stage, one name kept reappearing alongside Shohei Ono: An Chang-Rim. The Korean judoka, born in Kyoto, built a career around testing himself against the absolute elite. He first stepped onto the tatami at six years old, growing up in a country where judo is part of everyday life and studying at the famous University of Tsukuba, a traditional powerhouse in the sport.

An could have aimed for the Japanese team, but he chose a different path. He decided to represent Korea, the homeland of his family, and moved to Yong In University in 2014. That choice turned him into one of the most fascinating figures of his generation. In the same year he took the World Junior title in Miami and soon climbed to the top of the IJF World Ranking at U73kg.

Every showdown with Shohei Ono pushed An Chang-Rim closer to greatness.

His judo was all about sharp timing and constant pressure, attacking again and again until something broke. The duels with Shohei Ono defined an era: they met six times, and Ono won each one, but none of those matches felt easy or predictable. For fans, every clash between them carried the weight of a final and showed how small the margin at the very top can be.

In a division stacked with names like Rustam Orujov, Odbayar Ganbaatar, Musa Mogushkov and Soichi Hashimoto, An stayed a permanent threat. He held a positive head-to-head against Orujov and clearly dominated Mogushkov, proving he could handle the best European and Asian opposition. His breakthrough came in Baku in 2018, when he finally became world champion after World Championship bronzes in 2015 and 2017.

At the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 he added a precious bronze medal in one of judo’s toughest categories. Along the way he collected World Judo Tour titles, including Grand Slams in Paris and Abu Dhabi and Grand Prix wins in Jeju, Hohhot and Antalya. Even as younger athletes entered the scene, he took gold at the IJF World Masters in Doha, showing he was still a major force.

Away from competition judo, An has thrown himself into weightlifting and CrossFit. He won the Far East Throwdown qualifying event and built a huge Instagram following with training content that reflects the same intensity he showed on the tatami. From Kyoto to the Korean national team and from junior prodigy to world number one, his journey is a story of pure determination, even if both he and Shohei Ono have now stepped away from the sport earlier than many expected.

Source: JudoInside