Former national judo team member An Ba-ul (Namyangju City Hall) is retiring.

Through his social media today (September 10), An stated, "I plan to conclude this journey at the end of this year and begin a new challenge as a coach," adding, "I will continue to grow by sharing my experiences moving forward."

He continued, "It has been an honor and I am grateful to have represented South Korea on major stages such as the Olympics," and added, "Thank you to everyone who has supported me until now."

An won a silver medal in the men's 66kg division at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, a bronze medal in the men's 66kg division at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and contributed to a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Notably, in the mixed team bronze medal match against Germany at the Paris Olympics, he delivered deep moving moments by showing fighting spirit and defeating an opponent from a heavier weight class.

On September 9, An visited the Jincheon National Training Center in Chungcheongbuk-do to encourage the younger members of the judo national team competing in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

(Photo: Yonhap News)