Hanjuyeop Han (High1) won his first individual medal at the Asian Games during his second appearance in the event.
On October 2, at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, Han secured a bronze medal in the men's 100kg judo category by defeating Marat Baikamurop (Kazakhstan) with a successful throw.
The bronze medal match was tightly contested, with neither competitor scoring for much of the bout. Both Han and Baikamurop received two penalties, meaning that a single additional penalty would result in disqualification.
The turning point came when Han executed a surprise throw with just over a minute remaining, earning a valid point. He then held off Baikamurop's attacks for the remainder of the match to clinch the victory.
This win allowed Han to finally secure the Asian Games medal he missed three years ago.
At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Han advanced to the bronze medal match after winning in the repechage but lost to Aram Grigoryan (United Arab Emirates) by ippon, failing to medal.
Three years after that disappointing defeat, Han celebrated his success in the bronze medal match with a decisive throw.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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