Tang Jing, the Chinese judoka who received a disqualifying foul for biting an opponent during the Asian Games, competed in the mixed team event and stood on the podium with a medal, according to a report by THE DIGEST.
Asian Games Team Tournament Returns Disqualified Judoka to the Tatami
On October 3, the judo competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games concluded with the mixed team event at the Aichi International Arena. China secured a bronze medal by defeating Mongolia 4-2 in the third-place playoff. Among the athletes appearing on the podium was Tang Jing, the Chinese 70-kilogram competitor who had been disqualified days earlier for biting the left arm of Japan’s Rin Maeda during their quarterfinal meeting.
The mixed team competition features teams of six athletes—three men and three women—with the first team to win four bouts claiming victory. China missed out on the semifinals after losing 1-4 to South Korea in the quarterfinals. Their sole victory in that tie came from Tang, who faced Kim Hyemi in the blue judo gi. The match extended into golden score overtime, where Tang secured an ippon twenty seconds in to win her bout. China subsequently advanced through the repechage by defeating Kyrgyzstan 4-1 before capturing the bronze against Mongolia.
Biting Incident Against Japan Provokes Online Backlash
Tang’s return to competition followed a major controversy in her opening match against Japan’s Rin Maeda. During their quarterfinal encounter, as Maeda worked to transition into a hold-down from a ne-waza exchange, Tang bit down on Maeda’s left upper arm through her judo gi. The action continued for more than 20 seconds before the referee issued a mate command to stop the action.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x301:1001x303)/Maeda-Rin-Tang-Jing-asian-games-10226-3742a406534849ebb7afa473c2a181b6.jpg "Tang Jing Wins Bronze After Biting Japanese Opponent at Asian Games")
Maeda immediately displayed visible bite marks and appealed to the officials. After halting the match to inspect the clear indentation left on the arm, the referee disqualified Tang. The athlete registered a bewildered expression and disputed the ruling before leaving the mat. Video footage of the incident spread rapidly across Japanese social media platforms, sparking severe criticism. Similar public backlash, including calls for permanent bans, emerged across Chinese social media networks following the bout.
Tang receives bronze medal amid South Korean media attention
Following her bout against South Korea in the team tournament, Tang watched the remaining team matches from the stands. For the victory ceremony, she changed into a white judo gi, received her bronze medal, and joined her teammates for commemorative photographs alongside the Japanese delegation, who had claimed the gold medals.
South Korean media outlet Xports News highlighted her reappearance, reporting in surprise that she competed openly in the team event against South Korea. The outlet noted that her return passed without further incidents of biting. Following the medal ceremony, the Chinese judo delegation disbanded and left the venue together.
What was the result of the judo mixed team event?
What was the final result of the judo mixed team event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?
China secured the bronze medal by defeating Mongolia 4-2 in the third-place playoff held on October 3 at the Aichi International Arena.
How many athletes make up each squad in the Asian Games mixed team judo format?
Each team consists of six competitors split evenly between three men and three women, with the first team to accumulate four match victories winning the tie.
Which weight class did Tang Jing compete in during the tournament?
Tang competed in the women’s 70-kilogram category, facing Japan’s Rin Maeda in the individual quarterfinal and South Korea’s Kim Hyemi in the mixed team competition.
