Riku Okada secured the men’s 90kg judo gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating defending champion Sherov of Kyrgyzstan with an o-uchi-gari for a waza-ari in golden score at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. The victory marks the first time in three editions of the tournament that a Japanese judoka has claimed the 90kg title.
Golden Score Victory Over the Defending Champion
The decisive match unfolded on October 2, 2026, stretching into the golden score period before Okada broke through against Sherov. Thirty-eight seconds into the extra time, Okada executed an o-uchi-gari to score a waza-ari, sealing the championship bout. The win ended a two-tournament drought for Japan in the men’s 90kg division at the Asian Games.
The path to the final required a dominant semifinal performance earlier in the day, where Okada defeated Kim Jong-hun of South Korea by ippon. Following his individual success, Okada returned to the tatami on October 3 to help the Japanese national team capture another gold medal in the mixed team competition.
Reflecting on the Double Gold Campaign
Speaking at a medalist celebration event at Hisaya Odori Park’s “ONE ASIA WORLD” stage on October 4, Okada admitted that the physical and mental demands of the schedule left little room for immediate celebration. With the team event following immediately on the heels of the individual tournament, the reality of his achievement only set in days later.
“I didn’t really have a strong feeling that I had won because the team competition was right after, and the day after the individual final was another match,” Okada said during a post-stage interview. “Once the team event finished, and we had this kind of gathering today, it finally hit me that I actually won.”
Building Standard Habits and Character Through Budo
Referred to by observers as a genius of hard work, the 24-year-old Sapporo native attributes his success to raising his baseline expectations.
“Of course, working hard is important, but if your standard of normal or your idea of ordinary keeps rising, the normal things you do start to look like hard work to others,” Okada said. “I try to be careful about doing ordinary things carefully and treating normal things above and beyond the standard.”
Addressing younger athletes interested in the sport, Okada emphasized that judo offers development beyond pure physical competition. “The appeal of judo isn’t just the sports aspect, but it’s also a martial art, etiquette, and a big part of human education,” he said. “It’s a way to grow stronger not just in body, but in mind as well.”
Home Crowd Support in Nagoya
Looking back at the tense final against Sherov, Okada credited the spectators inside the Aichi International Arena for providing the energy needed to secure the victory during a grueling, defensive passage of the match.
“It was quite an uphill battle,” Okada said. “When the referee called matte and I quickly returned to the start line, so many people were cheering and I could hear their voices. In those moments when things got tough, it gave me that extra push to finally throw my opponent. It really was thanks to being at home and everyone’s support.”
