Competing on home soil in the -90 kg category was a deeply motivating experience for Han who drew immense energy from the passionate Chinese spectators cheering from the stands. While Han Qi ultimately finished in 7th place after securing two wins and enduring two losses, Han views this result as just the beginning of a long journey, with his ultimate goal set for reaching the Olympic Games.
Reflecting on his placement, Han stated, "Seventh place is not my goal; it’s just the place I finished. It's just the first step. My goal is to go to the Olympic Games and get a medal from there."
Han’s tournament began on a high note with a spectacular victory over an athlete from Turkmenistan, Halmuminov Omuruzak, in which he scored a decisive ippon just 20 seconds into the contest. The adrenaline surge from winning so quickly in front of an enthusiastic home crowd was thrilling. "The stands were so crowded and I was really excited," Han recalled, noting that he even jumped a little on the mat to share the moment with the fans. In his second contest, against John Jayne from the USA, Han maintained his momentum, earning two Yuko scores to secure another win. Despite the mounting excitement, he deliberately tried to calm his mindset, choosing to stay focused and composed for the challenges ahead. "I was not excited like I was with the first one," he explained, "because I had new a goal for the next one. So I tried to calm down and adjust my attitude."
The momentum shifted in the quarter-finals when Han faced a skilled Brazilian, Guilherme Schimidt. Han acknowledged that a lack of high-level tournament experience left him exposed during the contest. He noted, "I think I have less experience in this kind of big competition than others." He recognised that to compete with the best, he needs to refine his technical execution and improve his emotional control on the mat, adding, "I don't have to hurry; I have to work step by step. Also, I lost the next contest but I can learn something from it."
His tournament came to an end in the repechage against an Azerbaijani judoka, Murad Fatiyev. Though disappointed by the consecutive defeats, Han viewed the contests as invaluable lessons, identifying specific areas in his pacing and mindset that require adjustments. "I don't have that much experience and I also have to control myself better. Sometimes I cannot control my emotions at the moment, so these two points are the main keys for me to improve to the next level."
Han's journey into judo began at the age of 11 when he enrolled in a specialised sport school. Initially unfamiliar with judo, he fell in love with it quickly after watching online videos of international competitors executing seamless, powerful throws. "I watched some videos online and I think judo was really attractive to me. I told myself it was cool," Han said. Inspired by the skill set judo requires, he dreamed of representing China on the global stage one day. His greatest role model is Tong Wen, the 2008 Beijing Olympic champion and a former teammate. "When I saw her, she was like a superstar right there and I wanted to be a person like her," he shared.
Han credits much of his development to his coach who emphasised the importance of character alongside technique, "Coach Wu not only teaches us the techniques, he teaches us how to be a real person." For Han, judo is more than just a competitive sport; it is a discipline that strengthens the body while fostering humility and respect for others. He noted that practising the sport "improved my body, especially making me stronger. It also taught me how to respect people."
When asked about his favourite aspect of judo, he unhesitatingly pointed to the moments of achieving ippon! "The part I like most in judo is the achievement of ippon," Han concluded. As part of a rising Chinese men's judo team, Han remains optimistic about the future, believing that with more international competitive experience during this Olympic cycle, the team will continue its steady upward trajectory and will consistently challenge for the highest honours, always searching for the biggest ippon judo!