ORDOS, China — April 2026 — The Asian Senior Judo Championships concluded in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, delivering a mix of expected dominance and surprising upsets as athletes from across the continent competed for continental titles and valuable Olympic qualification points ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Held at the Ordos Sports Centre from April 10–13, the tournament featured over 300 judokas representing 42 member nations of the Asian Judo Union. The event served as a key benchmark for national teams assessing form and depth in the post-Tokyo Olympic cycle, with several weight classes producing dramatic shifts in the continental hierarchy.
Japan reaffirmed its status as the powerhouse of Asian judo, topping the medal table with 14 golds, 6 silvers, and 5 bronzes — a total of 25 medals. South Korea followed with 8 golds, 7 silvers, and 9 bronzes, while Uzbekistan claimed third place with 5 golds, 4 silvers, and 8 bronzes. Host nation China secured 4 golds, 6 silvers, and 10 bronzes, finishing fourth overall but earning strong support from local crowds throughout the competition.
In the men’s -60kg category, reigning Asian champion Ryuju Nagayama of Japan defeated Uzbekistan’s Diyorbek Urozboev in the final via ippon with a seamless seoi-nage, defending his title with authority. Nagayama, who as well won gold at the 2024 World Championships in Abu Dhabi, credited his preparation: “We focused on grip fighting and transition speed. Ordos was tough — the altitude and crowd noise tested us, but we stayed disciplined.”
The women’s -48kg final saw a historic upset as 20-year-old Enkhriilen Khishigbat of Mongolia defeated Japan’s Natsumi Tsunoda, the 2023 World Championships silver medalist, by waza-ari with a counter uchi-mata. It marked Mongolia’s first senior Asian title in the lightweight division since 2018. “I visualized this moment for months,” Khishigbat said after the match. “Tsunoda is incredible, but I trusted my preparation and stayed aggressive.”
One of the most compelling stories emerged in the men’s -90kg bracket, where South Korea’s Gwak Dong-han, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, returned from a year-long hiatus due to injury to claim gold. Gwak defeated Iran’s Saeid Mollaei — a two-time World Champion competing for Azerbaijan internationally but representing Iran at continental events under special dispensation — in the semifinals before beating Kazakhstan’s Yerassyl Kazhibayev in the final. “Coming back wasn’t just about physical readiness,” Gwak admitted. “It was about believing I still belonged. This win means more than any medal.”
In the women’s +78kg division, Japan’s Akira Sone, Olympic champion in Tokyo, continued her resurgence with a dominant performance, winning all five of her matches by ippon. Her final against Uzbekistan’s Iriskhon Kurbanova lasted just 1 minute and 12 seconds, ending with a powerful osoto-gari. Sone, who struggled with form after the Paris 2024 Olympics, said the victory restored her confidence: “I needed to remind myself why I started. This win is a foundation, not an endpoint.”
China’s breakthrough came in the men’s -100kg class, where 24-year-old Liu Haoyu defeated South Korea’s Cho Gu-ham — the 2022 Asian Games gold medalist — in a gripping final that went to golden score. Liu secured the win with a sasae-tsurikomi-ashi after Cho received his third shido for passivity. The victory sparked loud celebrations among the home crowd, with Liu later stating, “Fighting in Ordos, hearing my name called — it gave me extra energy. This is for everyone who believed in me back home.”
Uzbekistan’s dominance in the middle weights was highlighted by Diyorbek Urozboev’s silver in -60kg and Sharofiddin Boltaboev’s gold in -81kg. Boltaboev, a 2023 World Championships bronze medalist, defeated Japan’s Sotaro Fujiwara in the final with a transition from ouchi-gari into juji-gatame. “We’ve been working on our ne-waza for two years,” Boltaboev’s coach said post-match. “To see it pay off against a Japanese judoka in Newaza is validation.”
The tournament also served as a critical Olympic qualifier, with the top two finishers in each weight class earning points toward the International Judo Federation’s Olympic ranking list for Los Angeles 2028. Japan and South Korea secured automatic qualification spots in 11 of 16 divisions, while Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and China earned berths in several others through strong performances.
Officials from the Asian Judo Union praised the event’s organization, noting the seamless integration of video replay systems and real-time scoring updates. “Ordos delivered world-class facilities and enthusiastic support,” said AJU Secretary General Hassan Rostami. “The athletes competed at a high level, and the results reflect the growing competitiveness across Asia.”
Looking ahead, many of these athletes will turn their focus to the 2026 World Championships in Budapest later this year, followed by the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, in 2026. For others, particularly those in Olympic weight classes, the path to Los Angeles 2028 has officially begun.
The Asian Senior Judo Championships in Ordos reminded fans and analysts alike that while tradition still holds sway in continental judo, the landscape is evolving. New faces are emerging, veterans are returning, and the depth of talent across Asia continues to grow — setting the stage for an exciting Olympic cycle ahead.
For continued coverage of judo and other Olympic sports, visit Archysport.com. Share your thoughts on the Ordos results in the comments below, and follow us for real-time updates as the qualification journey for Los Angeles 2028 unfolds.
