[Nagoya AG] Kim Minyoung Makes History with Korea's First Asian Games Gold Medal in Kurashi

Defeats Syuri Lin 5-0 in the Women’s Over 87kg Final

Follows Mosumin’s Silver in Women’s 78kg to Add Another Medal

Kim Minyoung, the leading Kurashi athlete from Korea National Sports University, has won the first-ever gold medal for Korea in Kurashi at the Asian Games.

On September 29, in the final of the women's over 87kg Kurashi event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan, Kim Minyoung defeated Syuri Lin from Taiwan with a score of 5-0.

Kim Minyoung poses holding the Taegeukgi flag after winning the gold medal in the women's over 87kg Kurash event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at the Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture on the 29th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Korea first reached the podium in Kurashi at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, earning one silver medal (Kim Mingyu in the men's 90kg event) and two bronze medals (Kwon Jaeduck in the men's 66kg event and Jung Junyong in the men's over 90kg event). Now, at their third Asian Games, Korea has claimed its first gold medal in the sport.

Following the previous day's silver medal by Mosumin (Korea National Sports University) in the women's 78kg category, Kim Minyoung's victory means all Korean women's Kurashi athletes have made it onto the podium at this Asian Games.

Kurashi is a traditional martial art from Uzbekistan. While similar to judo, it strictly prohibits ground fighting techniques, such as holding or joint locks. Points are scored exclusively through standing techniques that throw the opponent. Kurashi was adopted as an official Asian Games sport starting with the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games.

Kim Minyoung, who claimed first place in the women's over 87kg category at this year's Asian Championships, encountered the runner-up from that event, Syuri Lin, once again in the Asian Games final. Kim scored a "Yonbosh" (Yonbosh·5 points) with her opponent's "Datkiro," recording a decisive 5-0 victory.

Kim Minyoung began practicing judo in middle school after following a friend. After enrolling in university, she took up Kurashi at her professor's suggestion. The skills she developed by training in both sports led her to her first-ever Asian Games gold medal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.