South Korea's Kim Min-young won the gold medal in the women's +87-kilogram kurash event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Tuesday, giving the country its first Asiad title in the wrestling-like sport.
Kim beat Chinese Taipei's Shih Liu Li-ling 5-0 in the event's final at Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall in Nagoya, Japan.
Kim became the first South Korean athlete to win a gold medal in kurash since the wrestling-like sport was introduced to the Asian Games in 2018.
South Korea has won two silvers and two bronzes at the Asian Games, including one silver by Mo Su-min in the women's 78-kg kurash event the previous day.
Kurash is a type of wrestling practiced in Central Asia. Athletes attempt to score by throwing their opponents, with a khalol, a throw that lands the opponent on their back, declared a victory, while other ground techniques are prohibited.
Kim, 21, who switched to kurash from judo, won her round of 16 and the quarterfinals by a khalol (a full point). In the semifinals, she edged out Arailym Shegenova of Kazakhstan 1-0.
In the gold medal match, Kim took five points after Shih received two penalties, or dakki.
Kim said her dream of becoming the first Korean kurash gold medalist had come true.
"I feel a bit dazed but delighted. I'm happy I achieved my dream of winning the first-ever gold medal," she said. "I was given a good opportunity and had a good result because I've worked hard."
She started her judo career in high school but switched to kurash at the suggestion of her university professor about a year ago.
Over the past year, she won the women's +87kg event at the Asian Championships and the Asian Games.
She will seek another title at the kurash world championships scheduled for November. (Yonhap)