China secured a bronze medal in the mixed team judo event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on October 3, defeating Mongolia in the classification match at the close of the tournament’s competition schedule, according to official competition results.
South Korea Defeats China in Judo Mixed Team Quarterfinals
The Asian Games judo mixed team format pits squads of three men and three women against each other across six distinct weight classes. Teams must secure four victories to win a fixture. If a tie occurs at 3–3, organizers draw lots for a single division to contest a golden score overtime period. The tournament operates on a single-elimination bracket with a repechage system yielding two bronze medals.
China opened its medal quest in the quarterfinals, where the team fell 1–4 to South Korea. Team captain Lin Gaohui noted the strength of the opposing roster, which featured athletes with Olympic medal credentials. Pushed into the repechage bracket, the Chinese squad rebounded against Kyrgyzstan. After Tao Yuying dropped her opening bout by ippon, Lin Gaohui, Zhang Wen, Han Qi, and Niu Xinran reeled off four consecutive wins to take the match 4–1 and advance to the bronze-medal showdown.
Bronze Medal Match Decided in Final Bout
The bronze-medal contest against Mongolia saw a tense back-and-forth battle. Lin Gaohui dropped the opening match by ippon, putting China in an early hole. Han Qi, Zhang Wen, and Niu Xinran then responded with three straight victories to put the team ahead. Mongolia pulled within striking distance when Li Haiyang dropped a hard-fought encounter by ippon, making the score 2–3 before the final rotation.
Stepping onto the tatami for the decisive sixth bout, 18-year-old Tao Yuying recovered from her earlier repechage loss. She threw her Mongolian opponent for an ippon score, sealing the team victory and locking up the bronze medal. Following the match, Tao reflected on her turnaround and the motivation provided by her teammates.
Japan Claims Team Gold as Medals Are Distributed
In the gold-medal final, host nation Japan defeated Kazakhstan 4–0 to capture the championship title. Uzbekistan won the other available bronze medal through the repechage rounds. Across the entire judo competition at the Nagoya Games, the Japanese team finished at the top of the sport’s standings with nine gold, one silver, and four bronze medals. Uzbekistan and South Korea finished second and third, respectively, while the Chinese team finished fifth overall with one gold and five bronze medals.
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