Uta Abe’s Refreshing Pool Time with Classmate Kim Ji-soo

Uta Abe, a 24-year-old member of the Paris Olympic team in the women’s 52 kg judo competition, recently updated her Instagram account with a heartwarming post. She shared a photo of herself and her classmate, Kim Ji-soo, looking “lovey-dovey” at the pool.

The photo shows Abe smiling while standing in a pool wearing a watermelon-patterned swim ring with Kim Ji-soo, a Korean resident of Japan who won a bronze medal in the mixed judo team event as a member of the South Korean team. The two were classmates at Shukugawa Gakuin High School (now Shukugawa High School) in Kobe.

Kim Ji-soo had a remarkable performance at the Paris Olympics, beating the world’s number one ranked Dutch athlete in the individual competition. Although she lost in the quarterfinals and repechage, she contributed to the team’s bronze medal win in the mixed team competition. Abe, on the other hand, lost in the second round of the individual competition but helped Japan secure a silver medal in the mixed team competition.

Followers of Abe’s Instagram account were delighted by the post, leaving comments such as “They’re always so cute,” “They’re both so cute. I’m glad they were able to refresh themselves,” and “I bet they’ll both win gold medals next time.” Abe has already stated that she will aim for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.