India’s visually impaired judokas Kokila and Kapil Parmar won a silver and a bronze medal, respectively, at the Asian Para Games on Monday.

Kokila finished second in the women’s J2 -52kg category after losing to Kyrgyzstan’s Aibike Ulanbek Kyzy in the final at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall. Kapil, meanwhile, claimed bronze in the men’s J1 -70kg event.

Kokila Loses Final in 21 Seconds

Kokila, who won bronze at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, had a strong start to her campaign on Monday. She defeated China’s Yi Liu in the semifinals to book her place in the gold medal bout.

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The Indian judoka won the semifinal 1-0, registering a waza-ari and a yuko against her Chinese opponent, who managed one waza-ari.

However, Kokila could not carry that momentum into the final. Kyzy secured an ippon in just 21 seconds to win the gold medal, leaving the Indian with silver.

Kokila had competed in the women’s -48kg category at the previous edition of the Games. She also represented India at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

The judoka hails from Kasun village in Haryana’s Jind district and has won medals at several international competitions. Earlier this year, she claimed silver at the Judo Grand Prix in Astana.

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Kapil Parmar Settles for Bronze After Semifinal Loss

Kapil Parmar, who won silver at the previous edition of the Asian Para Games, had to settle for bronze this time.

The Indian judoka lost his semifinal against Indonesia’s Junaedi by a narrow 0-1 margin. He then faced another Indonesian, Ahnaf Rafli Shidqi, in the bronze medal playoff.

Kapil bounced back in the contest, securing a 1-0 victory with an ippon. The match lasted just over a minute as the Indian added another medal to his international record.

Kapil, who won bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, had arrived at the Games hoping to finish on the top step of the podium.

Kapil was visibly emotional after his win, with his mother’s health also weighing on his mind. She has not been keeping well for some time.

Apart from his Paralympic bronze, Kapil was also a gold medallist at the 2019 Commonwealth Championships.

What Are J1 and J2 Categories in Judo?

Judo at the Asian Para Games features athletes with visual impairments competing in two classifications: J1 and J2.

J1 is for athletes with more severe visual impairment, including those who are completely blind. J2 athletes also have visual impairments but generally have more functional vision than those in the J1 category.