Japan, thanks to its invincibility in Kata, finishes again at the 1st place of the nations’ ranking, in this case that of the Asian Games (August 25-27 in Jakarta, Indonesia). With 4 gold and 3 bronze, it is ahead of Iran and its brave fighters (3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze). Taipei completes the podium with 3 gold, just ahead of China (1 gold). Summary and complete results.

By Ludovic Mauchien / Photos : K-Photos

 

MALE

-60 kg

Iran’s Amir Mehdizadeh, World champion and defending champion of the Asian Games, was expected, but he could do nothing in the final against a furious Indonesian Arrosyiid in front of his audience (9-7). Uzbekistan’s Saymatov, the other favorite, fell in the ½ finals against Mehdizadeh (7-6).

  1. Arrosyiid (Ina)
  2. Mehdizadeh (Ira)
  3. Selvam (Mas) et Saymatov (Ouz)

-67 kg

Jordania’s Abdel Rahman Almasatfa, the 2018 Asian champion and the tournament favorite, lost in the semi-final against the future winner, Koweit’s Abdulaziz (5-2), who dominated Kazakhstan’s Amirali in the final (4-0).

  1. Abdulaziz (Kow)
  2. Amirali (Kaz)
  3. Almasatfa (Jor) et Simanjuntak (Ina)

-75 kg

Bahman Asgari Ghoncheh, the 2017 Asian champion, had finished on the podium of three Premier League in 2018 but not yet in 1st place (3rd in Paris, 2nd in Rotterdam and Istanbul). It is done ! He dominated Saudi Arabia's Alturkistani in the final (5-0). The latter had beaten the other favorite, Jordania’s Bashar Alnajjar, the reigning Asian champion, in the quarter-finals.

  1. Asgari Ghoncheh (Ira)
  2. Alturkistani (KSA)
  3. Hsu (Tai) et Alnajjar (Jor)

-84 kg

World champion (2016) and reigning Asian champion, winner of the Asian Games in 2014, Japan’s Ryutaro Araga was the great favorite of the tournament with Iran’s Poorshab, winner in 2010 in +84 kg. But the latter fell in the semi final against Almesfer (5-5). Araga did not make any mistake and won a new international title with these 2018 Asian Games.

  1. Araga (Jap)
  2. Almesfer (Kow)
  3. Poorshab (Ira) et Wu (Tai)

+84 kg

Reigning World champion, Sajad Ganjzadeh defeated the other favorite, Tareg Ali Hamedi of Saudi Arabia, in the ¼ final (3-1). The Iranian fighter then dominated Shadykanov (Kyr) in the semi-final before beating Vietnam’s Nguyen in the final.

  1. Ganjzadeh (Ira)
  2. Nguyen (Vie)
  3. Hamedi (KSA) et Yuldashev (Kaz)

KATA

Two-time World champion (2014, 2016), three-time Asian champion (2015, 2017 and 2018), winner of the World Games (2017), Ryo Kiyuna has completed his golden records in Djakarta by easily winning the Asian Games. The Japanese virtuoso did not even concede a point !

  1. Kiyuna (Jap)
  2. Wang Yita (Tai)
  3. Park Heejun (Cor) et Zaresta Yuda (Ina)

FEMALE

-50 kg

Gu Shiaushuang wins her first major international title. 3rd of the 2018 Asian championships, winner of the Istanbul K-1 in June, the Taiwanese champion is asserting herself day after day. In the semi-final, she dominated Japan’s Miyo Miyahara, the reigning Asian champion (4-2) and then Uzbekistan’s Babaeva in the final (3-2).

  1. Gu (Tai)
  2. Babaeva (Ouz)
  3. Miyahara (Jap) et Junna (Phi)

-55 kg

They were two favorites in this category. They clashed in the first round. Taiwan's Wen Tzu Yun dominated Malaysia’s Jefry Krishnan (1-1, Senshu). The first will go to the end and win her 1st Asian Games, the second lost for the bronze.

  1. Wen Tzu Yun (Tai)
  2. Khaksar (Ira)
  3. Agung Sanistyarani (Ina) et Wong Sok I (Mac)

-61 kg

China’s Yin Xiaoyan, three-times Asian champion (2015, 2017, 2018), was the huge favorite. She did not disappoint. She only had some hard time in the final with Iran’s Alipoukeshka (0-0).

  1. Yin Xiaoyang (Chi)
  2. Alipoukeshka (Ira)
  3. Choi Wan Yu (HK) et Mirzaeva (Ouz)

-68 kg

Bis repetita 4 years later. As in 2014, Kazakhstan’s Gafurova and China’s Tang Lingling were in the final of the Asian Games. As in 2014, Gafurova won (2-0). Japan's Kayo Someya was beaten in the ¼ final by Tang Lingling (1-0).

  1. Gafurova (Kaz)
  2. Tang (Chi)
  3. Zangenehkarkooti (Ira) et K. Someya (Jap)

+68 kg

She had been ranked 3rd at the 2014 Asian Games. Since then, she has won the World Championships (2016), two Asian Champion titles (2015 and 2018) and the World Games in 2017. All she missed was the gold medal at the Asian Games. It is done ! Japan's Ayumi Uekusa defeated her most dangerous rival in the semifinal, Iranian defending champion Abbasali (2-1). Then, in the final, she dominated the tough Gao Mengmeng from China (5-3).

  1. Uekusa (Jap)
  2. Gao Mengmeng (Chi)
  3. Abbasali (Ira) et Nargis (Pak)

KATA

She had already won in 2014. Since then, she had not lost one major tournament. Two-time World champion (2014, 2016), two-time Asian champion (2015, 2018), winner of the World Games (2017), Kiyou Shimizu added a new gold line to her records in Djakarta. Only Hong Kong's Mo Sheung Grace Lau, who beat her this season, seemed to be able to worry her. But the Japanese athlete narrowly beat her in the ½ final (3-2), the only points she conceded at this tournament.

  1. Shimizu (Jap)
  2. Sou Soi Lam (Mac)
  3. Tararattanak (Tha) et Mo Sheung Grace Lau (HK)

Nations

  1. Japan (4 gold, 0 silver, 2 bronze)
  2. Iran (3, 2, 3)
  3. Taipei (3, 0, 2)
  4. China (1, 2, 0)
  5. Kazakhstan (1, 1, 1)
  6. Kuwait (1, 1, 0)
  7. Indonesia (1, 0, 3)
  8. Uzbekistan (0, 1, 2)
  9. Saudi Arabia and Macau (0, 1, 1)