[Asian Games] Judo Ace An Baul Wins Valuable Bronze Amid Judging Controversy

Narrowly Missed Achieving 2 Consecutive Wins

Ahn Ba-ul (29, Namyangju City Hall), the ace of the Korean judo team at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, won a bronze medal amid controversy over the refereeing decisions.

On the 24th, at the Linpu Gymnasium in Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, Ahn Ba-ul defeated Ovid Zhevov (Tajikistan) with an ippon by seoi nage in the men's 66kg bronze medal match at the Hangzhou Asian Games judo competition.

At 1 minute and 7 seconds into the match, both competitors received one shido each, and Ahn immediately succeeded with a seoi nage, earning a waza-ari and taking control of the match. He held on well for the remaining time and secured the medal.

Ahn Ba-ul had lost in the previous match and failed to advance to the final. In the semifinal against Japan's Tanaka Ryoma, both received two shidos each before entering the golden score period, during which Ahn continuously pressured his opponent.

Tanaka maintained a passive style of play, but the referees did not issue any shido penalties. In the latter part of the match, Tanaka engaged in actions that appeared to be fouls, such as grabbing Ahn's leg. Ahn protested to the referees, but his objections were not accepted, and at 5 minutes and 49 seconds into the golden score, he received a shido and lost by penalty.

Ahn Ba-ul, the gold medalist at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, narrowly missed out on defending his Asian Games title but will continue to compete toward the 2024 Paris Olympics.

[Image source=Yonhap News]