Wednesday, 7 April 2021
Vladimir Zoloev won a historic gold medal for host nation Kyrgyzstan at the Asia-Oceania Judo Championships in Bishkek.
The Asian Games bronze medallist earned Kyrgyzstan s first-ever continental judo title with victory in the men s under-81 kilograms division.
Zoloev beat Saeid Mollaei, now of Mongolia and a former world champion in the division, in the semi-finals and then overcame South Korea s Lee Moon-jin in the final.
Lee s medal was one of five won by South Korea across four weight categories today.
Mollaei and Sharofiddin Boltaboev of Uzbekistan won the bronze medals.
Ex-world champion An Chang-rim won the men s under-73kg title for South Korea, overcoming Tajikistan s Somon Makhmadbekov in the final, and China s Qing Daga took a bronze medal along with Victor Scvortov of the United Arab Emirates.