Boqiev Battles To Asian Games Bronze

TDT | Manama

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Sukhrob Boqiev battled his way to a bronze medal for Bahrain at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, yesterday after coming through five bouts in the men’s -66kg competition.

Boqiev secured his place on the podium by defeating South Korea’s Kim Channyeong by waza-ari in the bronze-medal contest at Aichi International Arena, scoring with a tomoe-nage at 2:23.

The Bahraini had opened his campaign with an ippon victory over Bangladesh’s Khaledul Hasan Milu in 1:36 in the round of 32 before overcoming Japan’s Shinsei Hattori by ippon in 3:09 to reach the quarter-finals.

There, Boqiev was edged by Kazakhstan’s Gusman Kyrgyzbayev, who scored a yuko at 4:41 in golden score to send him into repechage.

Boqiev bounced back emphatically, needing just 18 seconds to defeat Tajikistan’s Nurali Emomali by ippon and earn a shot at bronze.

He then made the opportunity count against Kim to secure third place alongside China’s Xue Ziyang. Mongolia’s Yolk Kazirbyek took gold, while Uzbekistan’s Abdurakhim Nutfulloev claimed silver.

Bahrain’s Ruslan Poltoratskii also reached the latter stages of the men’s -60kg competition, finishing joint seventh.

Poltoratskii opened with an ippon victory over North Korea’s An Sin Hyok at 6:30 in golden score to reach the quarter-finals, where he faced Uzbekistan’s Samariddin Kuchkarov.

Another lengthy contest followed, with Kuchkarov prevailing by yuko at 8:41 in golden score to send Poltoratskii into repechage.

His campaign ended there against China’s Ma Yulin after the Bahraini received a third shido at 4:14 in golden score.

Bahrain return to the tatami today, with Mukhamed Aloev facing Laos’ Xaisengxeun Nouveneven in the men’s -73kg round of 16, while Askerbii Gerbekov takes on Bangladesh’s Amirul Islam in the -81kg last 16.

Judo competition continues through Saturday.