Olympic judo medalists aim for Asian Games gold as taekwondo kicks off

Thursday marks the second day of judo action at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. Lee Joon-hwan will contest the men’s -81 kg category, hoping to convert his 2024 Olympic bronze and 2023 Asian Games silver into a gold medal. In the women’s -57 kg division, Huh Mimi, a Japanese native descended from a Korean independence fighter, will vie for her first Asian Games title after securing silver at the same Olympics.

The Games also introduce taekwondo poomsae, a pattern-based, non-contact event, with Yun Kyu-sung identified as a strong medal prospect in the men’s individual competition at Toyohashi Gymnasium. Additionally, the men’s field hockey semifinal sees South Korea face Malaysia at 7 p.m. in Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium, a match that could end South Korea’s long absence from the final since 2006. These contests highlight the blend of seasoned Olympians and newcomers competing across multiple martial arts and team sports.