At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Kim Minyoung secured South Korea’s first-ever gold medal in kurash by defeating Chinese Taipei’s Szu Liu-ling 5-0 in the women’s over-87kg final at the Nagoya City Budokan.
A Historic Breakthrough in Nagoya
Kim Minyoung delivered a milestone performance on October 29, 2026, capturing the gold medal in the women’s over-87kg kurash division at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Facing Chinese Taipei competitor Szu Liu-ling in the final, Kim secured a 5-0 victory via a decisive “Yonbosh” throw. The win marks South Korea’s first gold medal in the sport since kurash debuted as an official program at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
The triumph follows a silver medal won just a day prior by Mo Sumin in the women’s 78kg division. With Kim’s gold and Mo’s podium finish, South Korea’s female kurash athletes all reached the podium.
Building on Previous Asian Games Milestones
At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the national team secured its first-ever medals in the discipline, claiming one silver through men’s 90kg competitor Kim Mingyu, alongside two bronze medals from Kwon Jaedeok in the men’s 66kg and Jung Junyong in the men’s over-90kg category.
Heading into the Nagoya competitions, Kim Minyoung had already established her credentials on the continent by winning the women’s over-87kg title at the Asian Championships. Her Asian Games final rematch against Szu Liu-ling—the runner-up in the continental championship—solidified her dominance in the weight class.
From Judo Beginnings to Kurash Success
Kim’s athletic trajectory spans two closely related grappling disciplines. She began practicing judo in middle school at the suggestion of a friend before transitioning to kurash upon entering university under the guidance of a professor. Kurash, a traditional Uzbek martial art, shares structural similarities with judo but strictly prohibits ground techniques such as pins and joint locks, requiring competitors to settle bouts exclusively through standing throw attempts.
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