Asian Para Games: Judoka Kokila stuns world champion to storm into final, assures medal

Nagoya, October 19 (IANS): India’s Kokila booked her place in the women’s J2 -52kg gold medal bout at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, overcoming China’s reigning world champion Yi Liu in a tense semifinal to guarantee herself at least a silver medal.Competing at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall, the visually impaired Indian judoka held her nerve against a formidable opponent to secure a 1-0 victory, advancing to the final where she will face Kyrgyzstan’s Aibike Ulanbek Kyzy later in the day.The semifinal proved a hard-fought contest, with both judokas attempting to gain the upper hand through technical scoring. Kokila registered a waza-ari, the second-highest technical score in judo, along with a yuko for an effective technique. Liu also managed a waza-ari during the bout, while Kokila received a shido penalty for a minor rule infringement.The victory marks a significant step forward for Kokila, who had claimed bronze in the women’s -48kg category at the previous edition of the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Competing in a different weight category this time, the Indian has now secured a place in the title clash and will have an opportunity to upgrade her medal to gold.Kokila’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya adds to her experience on the international stage, having also represented India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Her performance against Liu, one of the leading competitors in the discipline, will provide a boost ahead of the final.The J2 classification in para-judo is designed for athletes with visual impairments, with competitors relying on their technical ability, balance and tactical awareness to gain an advantage on the mat.Meanwhile, India’s Kapil Parmar will compete for bronze in the men’s J1 -70kg category after falling short in his semifinal against Indonesia’s Junaedi. The Paris Paralympics bronze medallist lost by ippon but had earlier secured his place in the last four with a victory over Mongolia’s Bat-erdene Baatarsuren in four minutes and 53 seconds.With Kokila assured of a medal, India will now hope the judoka can cap her impressive run by claiming the gold medal in the final.