By Asian Paralympic Committee, IPC and IBSA
 
Judoka have begun to arrive in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the 2018 Asian Para Games which get underway on Saturday (6 October).
 
The competition will be a good indicator of form ahead of the season’s main event – the 2018 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Judo World Championships in Odivelas, Portugal, from 16-18 November.
 
Uzbekistan was the surprise nation in the judo competition at the last Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014 topping the medal table with a total of 10 medals, seven of which were gold.
 
This was a huge improvement on their performance at the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou where they were seventh on the medal table.

They showed that it was not a one-off when they took two gold medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
 
Sherzod Namozov claimed the top spot in the men’s up to 60kg category and Nigmatov Utkirjon joined his countryman in topping the podium in the men’s up to 66kg event.

Caption: Sherzod Namozov celebrates at the Rio 2016 Paralympics

Two other Rio 2016 Paralympic gold medallists will be in action in Jakarta: South Korea’s Choi Gwanggeun (men’s up to 100kg) and China’s Li Liqing (women’s up to 48kg).
 
Japan with one silver and three bronze and Mongolia (one bronze) were the other Asian countries to reach the podium at the last Paralympic Games.
 
At Incheon 2014, judokas from Iran, Japan, Thailand, India and Kazakhstan also made the podium and will be trying to ensure that the Uzbekistan, Chinese and Korean teams do not have things all their own way.

Overall 114 athletes from 16 countries will compete for 15 medals. The competition will take place at the JI Expo Grand Ballroom over four days.

The 2018 Asian Para Games kick off on 6 October and runs until 13 October.