The second day of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, saw another day of high-level Kurash competition and intense rivalry. At the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall, champions and medallists were determined in the women’s -78 kg and men’s -81 kg weight categories.
Throughout the day, Kurash athletes from nearly 20 countries across the continent competed fiercely for the Asian Games medals. The results once again demonstrated the continued growth of Kurash in Asia, with the level of competition increasing year by year.
In the women’s -78 kg category, two of Uzbekistan’s renowned Kurash athletes, Pokizakhon Kamoliddinova and Shokhista Nazarova, faced each other in the semi-final. Pokizakhon Kamoliddinova won the bout on points to secure her place in the final.
In the other semi-final, Korea Republic’s Mo Sumin defeated India’s Pinky Balhara 5–0 to reach the final.
In the decisive bout, Pokizakhon Kamoliddinova showcased her high mastery, securing a convincing victory over Korea’s Mo Sumin with a khalol score and becoming the Asian Games champion.
The men’s -81 kg category also produced fiercely contested bouts. Uzbekistan’s Akhror Ziyodullayev defeated Kazakhstan’s Adilet Akhmetgali in the semi-final to book his place in the final.
In the second semi-final, Iran’s Ramin Ahmadzadeh defeated host nation representative Ken Oyoshi with a yonbosh score to advance to the final.
The final between Akhror Ziyodullayev and Ramin Ahmadzadeh was a high-level tactical match. In the end, the Uzbek athlete prevailed by a narrow margin to claim the Asian Games gold medal.
With this, Uzbekistan’s national team secured two more gold medals on the second day of the Kurash competition. The day’s contests also demonstrated strong competition from not only the traditional leading nations, but also the Republic of Korea, India, Iran, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and several other countries.
The bouts taking place on the Kurash Gilams in Aichi once again confirmed the growing prominence and geographical reach of Kurash across Asia, while fierce competition for every medal continues at the continent’s biggest sporting stage.
Medal Winners
Women (-78 kg)
1. Pokizakhon Kamoliddinova (Uzbekistan)
2. Mo Sumin (Republic of Korea)
3. Shokhista Nazarova (Uzbekistan)
3. Pinky Balhara (India)
Men (-81 kg)
1. Akhror Ziyodullayev (Uzbekistan)
2. Ramin Ahmadzadeh (Iran)
3. Adilet Akhmetgali (Kazakhstan)
3. Ken Oyoshi (Japan)
