Japanese judoka bitten by Chinese opponent at Asian Games, goes on to win gold

NAGOYA, Oct 2 — Japanese judoka Rin Maeda's jaw-dropping experience at the Asian Games has sent shockwaves through the sport. During a quarter-final bout in Nagoya, Maeda seemingly fell victim to a bite from her opponent, Tang Jing, just over a minute into the match. The incident occurred while the pair were locked in a clinch on the ground.

Following the contest, Tang was disqualified after referees spotted visible teeth marks on Maeda's wrist. Japan's women's judo coach, Maki Tsukada, described the bite as a first in her extensive career, expressing regret that the team hadn't predicted such a scenario in a high-stakes tournament. Despite the visible bite marks, Maeda still managed to secure gold, defeating Kazakhstan's Azhar Askhat in the final.

"I entered this tournament with a strong determination to win gold," stated the 21-year-old judoka, reflecting on the unique experience of competing in a multi-sport event.