Kim Jonghoon (Photo IJF)
Mongolia topped the medal table at the Asian Judo Championships in Ordos in China with three gold medals, one silver and two bronze.
Twelve of the fifteen participating countries left Ordos with at least one medal, underlining the competitive balance across Asia with Tajikistan and China finishing behind Mongolia.
The final day of the championships saw Korea’s Kim Korea’s Jonghoon winning the men’s -90 kg category, after a tightly contested final against Bu Hebilige of China.
A single yuko, scored with a well-timed ippon ko-uchi-gake, proved decisive. Despite strong determination and home support, Hebilige was unable to close the gap. Bronze medals were claimed by Aidar Arapov of Kazakhstan and Israpil Sagaipov of Bahrain.
In the -100 kg category, the final brought together two in-form athletes – Said Sadrudinov of Bahrain, winner of the Tashkent Grand Slam and Dzhafar Kostoev of the United Arab Emirates, a double grand slam winner last season.
After an evenly balanced opening, Sadrudinov took control by waza-ari using ko-soto-gake before finishing the contest with an immobilisation for ippon.
Uzbekistan’s Ernazar Sarsenbaev and China’s Fuchun Huang completed the podium.
In the +100 kg category, Olympic and world medallist Alisher Yusupov of Uzbekistan confirmed his status as the favourite. He secured victory over Korea’s Kim Seungyeob with a yuko scored during regular time, controlling the contest with authority.
China’s Li Haiyang Li added another medal for the host nation, while Muzaffarbek Turoboyev of Uzbekistan claimed the remaining bronze.
The host nation enjoyed a perfect finish in the remaining two women’s categories. IN the women’s -78 kg, Wu Hongtao captured gold, overcoming Yelyzaveta Lytvynenko of the UAE, who settled for silver.
Bronze medals went to Barchinoy Kodirova of Uzbekistan and Aruna Jangeldina of Kazakhstan.
In the +78 kg category, Niu Xinran delivered another gold for China, defeating Korea’s Lee Hyeonji in the final. Mongolia’s Adiyarusen Amarsaikhan and Uzbekistan’s Umida Nigmatova secured bronze.
