Mongolia’s Yolk Kazirbyek celebrates winning gold
Mongolia’s Yolk Kazirbyek celebrates winning gold in the men’s -66kg judo final against Uzbekistan’s Abdurakhim Nutfulloev at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on September 30, 2026. (Photo: Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images)

NAGOYA, Japan, September 30, 2026 – Mongolia made an impressive start in judo at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, with Yolk Kazirbek winning the country’s first gold medal of the Games in the men’s 66kg category. Yolk defeated Uzbekistan’s Abdurakhim Nutfullaev in the final.

Yolk reached the gold-medal bout after defeating Kazakhstan’s Gusman Kyrgyzbayev in the semifinals. Nutfullaev took silver, while China’s Xue Ziyang and Bahrain’s Sukhrob Boqiev shared the bronze medals.

Narantsetseg takes bronze

Also on the opening day, Ganbaatar Narantsetseg lost to Japan’s Mitsuki Kondo in the women’s 48kg semifinal but defeated India’s Asmita Dey in the bronze-medal contest to claim Mongolia’s second medal. She shared the bronze with Tajikistan’s Akhlya Muminova. Kondo won gold, while Kazakhstan’s Abiba Abuzhakynova took silver.

A turnaround after Hangzhou

The result carries particular significance for Mongolia. At the judo competition at Hangzhou 2022, the Mongolian team won no gold medals, taking two silver and four bronze. Yolk’s success shows that a new generation has been developed over the past four years to turn that record around.

Judo is one of the sports that has brought Mongolia the most medals at the Asian Games. According to media reports, Mongolia has won 56 medals in the sport overall, including seven gold, 13 silver and 36 bronze. Mongolian judokas who have previously won Asian Games gold include K. Boldbaatar and Kh. Erdenet-Od in 1998; D. Nyamkhuu and Kh. Tsend-Ayuush in 2006; and D. Tömörkhüleg, M. Urantsetseg and N. Tüvshinbayar in 2014. Yolk has now joined their ranks.

Opening-day results

Four judo gold medals were contested on the opening day. Japan’s Hayato Kondo won the men’s 60kg title, while Mitsuki Kondo took gold in the women’s 48kg event, giving the host nation two victories. Uzbekistan and Mongolia each won one gold. Kazakhstan’s Olympic champion Yeldos Smetov took silver in the men’s 60kg category.

The judo competition features 14 weight categories and will conclude with the mixed team event on October 3. The second day will feature the men’s 73kg and 81kg categories and the women’s 57kg, 63kg and 70kg events.

About the Games

The Asian Games began on September 19 and will close on October 4. Held under the slogan “Imagine One Asia,” the Games feature athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees competing in 469 events across 43 sports. Japan is hosting the Asian Games for the third time, having previously staged the event in Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. New events, including esports, have also been included this year.

Media reports said Mongolia’s team won medals in other sports during the opening days of the Games. [Cycling and boxing: names and medal colors to be added after verification with the source.] Mongolian athletes are also scheduled to compete in wrestling, boxing, cycling and other sports in the days ahead.