Ordos, China – In a historic moment for Bahraini judo, 20-year-old Ruslan Poltoratskii captured the men’s 60kg gold medal at the 2026 Asian Judo Championships, defeating Taiwan’s three-time silver medalist Yang Yong-wei in the final.
The victory marked Bahrain’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s 60kg division at the continental championships, with Poltoratskii becoming the youngest Bahraini judoka to achieve the feat at the senior level. According to CCTV’s coverage of the event held at the Ordos Sports Development Center, the young athlete secured the win with a decisive technique that left Yang unable to score in the closing moments of the match.
Yang Yong-wei, widely known as Taiwan’s “Judo God,” entered the final seeking to break his streak of silver medal finishes at the Asian Championships. The Central News Agency reported that Yang had previously won silver in the men’s 60kg division in both 2024 and 2025, making this his third consecutive appearance in the gold medal match without claiming the top prize.
According to United Daily News, Yang demonstrated strong form throughout the competition, receiving a first-round bye before defeating India’s Harsh Singh in the round of 16 with two effective scores. He then advanced past Mongolia’s representative in the quarterfinals with an inside leg throw, followed by a victory over Kazakhstan’s Sherzod Davlatov in the semifinals, where he overcame an early deficit to win by ippon using a square hold.
The final, however, proved challenging as Poltoratskii took an early advantage. Yang’s path to the gold medal match was documented by multiple Taiwanese outlets, which noted that despite his semifinal comeback victory, he was unable to counter the Bahraini teenager’s opening score in the championship bout.
Poltoratskii’s winning technique was identified as a small outer hook, which earned him a waza-ari (half point) that proved sufficient for victory as Yang failed to register any score thereafter. The result was confirmed by both CCTV’s broadcast and the Central News Agency’s reporting from the championship venue in Inner Mongolia.
For Bahrain, the gold represents a breakthrough in their judo program. The Bahrain National Judo Team’s official records indicate that Poltoratskii’s victory came on the second day of competition at the 2026 Asian Championships, which opened on April 15 at the Ordos Sports Development Center Gymnasium.
The achievement places Poltoratskii among a select group of young athletes to win senior Asian Championship gold before turning 21. His victory continues Bahrain’s recent emergence in Asian judo, following their strong showing at the 2024 Asian Games where they earned multiple medals in the martial arts disciplines.
Yang Yong-wei, despite the loss, earned his third Asian Championships silver medal and indicated plans to compete in the Kazakhstan Grand Slam scheduled for May 8-10, according to his post-competition comments reported by United Daily News. The Taiwanese judoka remains a top contender in the men’s 60kg division as he prepares for the upcoming Olympic qualification period.
The 2026 Asian Judo Championships continue through April 20, featuring competitors from across Asia in all weight divisions. Results from the event contribute to the International Judo Federation’s world ranking list, which determines seeding for future international competitions including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
For Poltoratskii, the gold medal marks the beginning of what could be a prominent international career. At age 20, he joins a growing list of Bahraini athletes achieving continental success in individual sports, following in the footsteps of the nation’s track and field stars who have medaled at recent Asian Championships.
The victory also highlights the competitive depth in the men’s 60kg division, where established veterans like Yang Yong-wei continue to challenge rising talents from emerging judo nations. As both athletes seem ahead to their next competitions, the result adds another chapter to the evolving narrative of Asian judo’s shifting power dynamics.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of the 2026 Asian Judo Championships and updates on both athletes’ paths toward the Olympic qualifying events.
