The Korean judo team concluded the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games without a medal in the mixed team event, finishing with one gold, three silver, and four bronze medals.
On October 3, the team lost to Uzbekistan 4-2 in the bronze medal match held at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
Korea had previously won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games but has now failed to reach the podium in two consecutive tournaments, following a similar outcome at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
In the quarterfinals, Korea easily defeated China 4-1 but was halted in the semifinals by Kazakhstan, a strong judo nation in Asia. After a 3-3 tie in the six regular matches, an additional match was decided by a draw, where Kim Ha-yoon (Ansan City Hall) received three penalties, resulting in a 4-3 loss and forcing Korea into the bronze medal match.
In the bronze medal match, Korea struggled early on. The first competitor, Lee Eun-gyeol (Buan County Hall), lost to Shakhram Akhadov with just 20 seconds remaining in the men's 73kg match. In the second match, Kim Hye-mi (Gwangju Transportation Corporation) faced Shirinjon Yuldosheva in a golden score battle but was disqualified after accumulating three penalties.
As the situation looked bleak, the team began to rally. In the third match, Kim Jong-hoon (Yangpyeong County Hall) defeated Arslonbek Tojiyev in the men's 90kg category, igniting hope for a comeback. Continuing the momentum, Lee Hyun-ji (Yongin University) won the fourth match in the women's over 70kg category against Ilyas Khurvanbayeva, tying the score at 2-2.
However, Korea lacked the strength to turn the tide. In the fifth match, star competitor Kim Min-jong (Yangpyeong County Hall) lost to the tournament's individual champion, Muzafarbek Turoboev, in the men's over 90kg category, putting the team on the brink of defeat.
In the final match, the only gold medalist for Korea, Heo Mi-mi (Gyeongbuk Sports Council), faced Shukurjon Aminov. Heo launched an aggressive attack, pushing the match into golden score, but ultimately lost after allowing a half-point 1 minute and 39 seconds into the extension.
Korean coaches protested the decision, but the result stood. Heo Mi-mi remained on the mat for some time after the match, visibly affected by the outcome.
Earlier in the individual events, Heo Mi-mi secured gold in the women's 57kg category, while Jang Se-yoon (women's 52kg), Kim Min-joo (women's 78kg), and Lee Hyun-ji (women's over 78kg) each earned silver medals.
Initially, the Korean judo team aimed for four gold medals at this tournament but ended up with one gold, three silver, and four bronze medals, mirroring their performance from the previous Hangzhou Games (one gold, two silver, six bronze).
* This article has been translated by AI.
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