A nine-strong Australian team delivered a great start to September with multiple medallists taking the podium the 2025 Hangzhou Asian Judo Open.
Led by Australia’s Junior National Coach, Nathan Katz, the event provided an excellent opportunity for athletes to earn valuable world-ranking points and work towards qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The team performed strongly finishing second on the overall medal tally with two gold, four silver and two bronze medals from a field of 87 athletes.
September 6, the first day of competition, featured three Australian athletes: Pedro Antun Neto (-60 kg), Vas Middleton (-66 kg) and Eric Amani (-73 kg).
Pedro Antun, from Grappling Brothers Wollongong, began his day in spectacular fashion, throwing for ippon in the opening exchange. In the semi-final against his opponent from Tajikistan, Pedro threw for yuko in golden score to book his place in the final.
In the final, Pedro finished the contest in the opening exchange with a very fast transition into juji-gatame to claim a well-deserved gold medal, his first in the Asian Open series.
Off the back of success at the Asian Open Taipei, Vas Middleton of Perth Judo Club defeated Kazakhstan’s Abilkhaiyr with a yuko scored off a tomoe-nage. Taking him to the final, he would come up against a fellow junior, Kazakhstan’s Bigambayev.
Vas transitioned nicely to secure a juji-gatame victory in the early stages of golden score to claim his second Senior Asian Open gold medal of the year.
In the -73 kg category Tasmania’s Eric Amani (Clarence Judo Club) found the going tougher, losing his opening contest against the eventual bronze medallist from Tajikistan. In his repechage contest, Eric fought bravely, scoring waza-ari, before being countered for Ippon against Uzbekistan’s Saitkulov.
September 7, day two, saw six Australian athletes in action, all inspired by the positive energy after a successful first day.
In the -81 kg category, UWA’s Keishin Ochi started strongly, throwing China’s Wu for waza-ari twice to take the match. In his semi-final contest, Keishin threw China’s Songhaer with a beautiful uchimata for ippon in golden score.
The final against China’s Youxiu was a back-and-forth contest, entering golden score at one shido apiece. Two and a half minutes into golden score, Keishin was caught in ne-waza for yuko and was forced to settle with a silver medal. A strong performance.
In the -90kg, Danny Vojnikovic of Resilience Training Centre in Victoria opened his match with a lovely Ippon against Chinese Taipei’s Huang in the first round. Danny was in control of Kazakhstan’s Slyamzhanov in the semi-final before a mistake in the final stages of the contest knocked him into the bronze medal contest.
Danny then went on to earn multiple scores in his bronze medal contest, defeating Korea’s An to secure a bronze medal.
The -100 kg category featured the NT’s Jack Rigby (Marrara Judo Club), and Victoria’s Axel Nightingale (Traralgon Judo Club).
Axel won his opening contest throwing China’s Chai for Ippon. In the semi-final, the Australian boys were pitted against each other, showing great spirit and sportsmanship with Axel coming out on top to move him into the final.
Bouncing back, Jack begun his bronze medal match strongly, throwing Tian from China for waza-ari, before securing the win in ne-waza to earn his first Asian Open medal.
Axel begun his final against World #33 Huang from China, before succumbing in ne-waza to earn a silver medal. This was also Axel’s first senior Asian Open medal.
In the +100kg, the final men’s category of the day, Tasmania’s Jack Marston from Kokoro Judo Club had a best of three contest against Korea’s Yang.
In the opening contest, Jack was thrown for waza-ari and held down, but bounced back in his second match, countering for Ippon to force a decider. Unfortunately, Jack fell short in the final, ending the day with a silver medal, an excellent result in his first international competition.
The team’s only female athlete was Western Australia’s Saya Middleton (Perth Judo Club).
Contesting the -70kg, Saya began strongly by defeating world #62 Wu from China with a drop sode-tsurikomi goshi for waza-ari. In her second contest, she moved past Thailand’s Nanong, throwing for Ippon to move onto the final.
In the final, Saya found it difficult against world #34 Liu of China, receiving her third shido in the opening exchanges of golden score. Saya brings home a well-deserved silver medal.
Team manager and Coach, Nathan Katz, said these results underline the value of morale, teamwork and consistent effort.
“It was very pleasing to see the team performing well in Hangzhou. The team cared for and supported each other well, and it was fantastic to see some athletes with breakthrough personal results at this level.”
The next stop for the senior team with be the Lima Grand Prix in Peru, beginning on the 11th of October.
