Korean judoka claims first Asian Games medal with win over Kazakh opponent

Han Ju-yeop of South Korea competes against China's Huang Puchun in the men's under-100kg quarterfinal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on Friday. [Yonhap]
Han Ju-yeop of South Korea competes against China's Huang Puchun in the men's under-100kg quarterfinal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on Friday. [Yonhap]

National team judoka Han Ju-yeop claimed a bronze medal in the individual event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Han won his first Asian Games medal on Friday at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, defeating Marat Baikamourov of Kazakhstan in the men's under-100kg bronze-medal bout.

After both competitors received two penalties each in a fiercely contested match, Han secured a yuko with a shoulder throw with one minute remaining.

Han had come close to a medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, reaching the bronze-medal bout through the repechage round, but lost by ippon to Aram Grigorian of the UAE.


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