South Korean judoka Jang Se-yoon (KH Philux) made a strong start at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, finishing her first match in just 16 seconds.
On September 30, at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Jang defeated Kyrgyzstan's Sabira Kozomberdiyeva with a decisive throw in the women's 52 kg round of 16, advancing to the quarterfinals.
The match was over in the blink of an eye. Jang aggressively engaged her opponent from the start, gaining control in the grappling exchange before executing a successful throw. As Kozomberdiyeva's back hit the mat, the referee promptly declared an ippon.
Official records show the match concluded with 3 minutes and 44 seconds remaining in the 4-minute regulation time. Jang secured her victory in a mere 16 seconds.
Jang has consistently demonstrated her competitiveness on both domestic and international stages. She won gold at the 2022 Summer World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr and earned a bronze medal at the 2025 Asian Championships. In February, she finished fifth at the Paris Grand Slam.
Domestically, Jang has solidified her position as the top contender in the women's 52 kg category. She topped the national team selection trials last year and again this year, winning both the first and second trials consecutively. In the second trial held in March, she advanced through the round of 16 and quarterfinals with ippon victories before claiming the championship.
On the same day, Jung Soo-jin (Yongin University), competing in the women's 48 kg category, was disqualified after exceeding the weight limit during a random weigh-in conducted on the day of the match. She was scheduled to face Turkmenistan's Muminova Akhliyya in the round of 16.
The South Korean judo team aims to secure at least three gold medals at this tournament. On the first day of competition, Jang, along with Jung Soo-jin, men's 60 kg competitor Lee Ha-rim (Yangpyeong County Office), and men's 66 kg competitor Kim Chan-nyung (High1), are all in pursuit of medals.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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