Akari Fujinami’s long unbeaten run ended at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya on Saturday, October 3. The Japanese Olympic champion lost to North Korea’s Il Sim Son in the women’s 57kg semifinal. Son, a world silver medallist, pinned Fujinami to reach the final.What happened in the women’s 57kg semifinal?Akari Fujinami entered the semifinal with a remarkable record of 155 straight wins. She is the Olympic champion in the women’s 57kg category and has been one of Japan’s leading wrestlers.However, her winning run ended against Il Sim Son of North Korea. Son produced a major result by pinning the Japanese star in the semifinal at the Asian Games 2026.The defeat was a major change in Fujinami’s recent record. Her unbeaten run had reached 155 victories before the match in Nagoya.Who is Il Sim Son?Il Sim Son is a North Korean wrestler who has won a silver medal at the world championships. She faced Fujinami in the important women’s 57kg semifinal in Nagoya.Son stayed focused during the match and found a way to finish the contest by pinning the Olympic champion. Her win sent her into the Asian Games final.The result also put Son in a strong position to fight for the gold medal. Her victory over Fujinami was one of the key results in the women’s wrestling competition.Why was Fujinami’s defeat important?Fujinami’s defeat was notable because she had built one of the longest winning runs in recent wrestling. She had won 155 matches in a row before facing Son.Her Olympic title had also made her one of the biggest names in the women’s 57kg category. The loss showed how quickly a wrestling match can change, even when a wrestler has a long unbeaten record.For Japan, the result ended Fujinami’s run at the Asian Games 2026. For North Korea, it gave Son a major win against an Olympic champion.What happens next at the Asian Games 2026?Il Sim Son will now compete in the women’s 57kg final. She will have a chance to win the Asian Games gold medal after defeating Fujinami in the semifinal.Fujinami’s Asian Games campaign will continue with the next stage of the competition based on the tournament format. Her semifinal loss means she will not fight for the gold medal.The wrestling competition in Nagoya is part of the Asian Games 2026 programme. The result between Son and Fujinami has added a major upset to the women’s 57kg event.
