Korean Greco-Roman wrestler fails to defend title

South Korean Greco-Roman wrestler Kim Hyeon-woo failed to defend his Asian Games title on Wednesday and ended up getting a bronze medal.

Kim collected a victory by technical superiority over Shermet Permanov of Turkmenistan with a 9-0 score to grab a repechage bronze medal in the men's 77-kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta.

At Jakarta Convention Center Assembly Hall, it only took 1 minute, 48 seconds for Kim to earn that score against Permanov. In Greco-Roman wrestling, a victory by technical superiority is given when a wrestler takes an eight-point lead. 

Still, it was disappointing for the defending champion.

Earlier, Kim suffered a shocking 7-3 loss to Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan in the first round.

Kim trailed Makhmudov 3-2 after the first period. He leveled the score 3-3 with 1 minute, 56 seconds left on the clock. He failed, however, to take advantage of his par terre opportunity and gave up two points instead.

The 29-year-old then surrendered two points with 47 seconds left.

Kim was considered the favorite to win the men's 77kg title at the Asian Games. He took gold at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Asian Games. He was also a bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. (Yonhap)