Asian Games 2026: Outsized but undaunted, Ng takes on Kurash giants in Nagoya

Ng faced the reigning Asian Senior Kurash Cup champion in the quarter-finals at the Games.  Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan

At the inaugural Asian Senior Kurash Cup in May, kurash exponent Aaron Ng, who usually competes in the -90kg category, found himself the smallest competitor in the +90kg division.

With the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games omitting his usual weight class, Ng needed competition experience in the heavier division. That meant drinking more water and avoiding trips to the toilet right before the tournament’s morning weigh-in to ensure he made weight.

In Uzbekistan, the 30-year-old defied the odds to take silver, using his speed and strategy to outfox opponents who averaged 120kg and were often a head taller than him.

At Nagoya’s Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Centre, Ng received a bye into the quarter-finals, where he was drawn against Uzbekistan’s Shokhrukhkhon Bakhtiyorov, who had beaten him in May’s final.

In the David-and-Goliath affair, the towering Bakhtiyorov often looked like an immovable object, shrugging off Ng’s ferocious leg sweeps.

And ahead of his Games debut, Ng, Singapore’s first-ever Asian Games representative in the sport, took leave from work to train for such situations, flying to Uzbekistan, the birthplace of kurash.

There, he trained alongside national athletes, most of whom were larger in stature than him, for close to three weeks.

“For this competition, I switched to a completely different strategy that was outside my comfort zone. I spent a lot of time drilling it and training specifically for this fight.”

The East Asian and Southeast Asian Championship silver medallist left everything on the mat in Nagoya, using his speed to dictate the pace and showcasing agile defence as he fended off his opponent’s attempts to throw him.

“I had fought him previously at the Asian Championships, where I lost to him around the two-minute mark, so I already knew the level of opponent I was going up against.”

Ng had to adapt his strategy to beat the hulking Bakhtiyorov. Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan

“The last time we fought, he caught me with a sweeping technique. It looks almost like a kick, where he uses his leg to sweep and take me down.”

“This time, the bout was actually going according to my game plan. I knew I couldn’t just match him strength for strength, so my plan was to outspeed him and rain as many attacks as I could. I managed to escape a few of his throwing attempts as well.”

Bakhtiyorov eventually proved too strong, overcoming Ng before going on to claim gold.

“Unfortunately, his defence and posture were stronger than I expected, and I wasn’t able to break through before eventually losing through a technical penalty.”

The former national judoka, who has won bronze medals at the SEA Games in 2019 and 2023, was understandably disappointed on the early exit, but seeing a group of red-clad Singaporean supporters in the stands lifted his spirits.

“It was just my coach and me travelling for this event, so I really wasn’t expecting to have a Singapore crowd there cheering for me. Seeing and hearing them after the match was definitely one of the most memorable moments for me.”

Ng, who had faced the Uzbek in May, was uncowed, despite their notable size difference. Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan

More importantly, his brief taste of the Asian Games has left him wanting more.

“Before this, I actually thought I might be stopping soon. But after experiencing the Asian Games, it has made me even more motivated to keep going and aim for the next one.”

“There’s definitely still something in me that wants to see how much further I can go.”

Though Ng is the first Singaporean to make their bow in the sport at the Asian Games level, he certainly hopes he won’t be the last.

“We have a growing youth team that is still developing. These athletes come from various grappling backgrounds and have been attracted to Kurash because of its dynamic, intense and upright takedown style.”

“I hope the youth scene continues to grow and that we see more young athletes taking up the sport, competing internationally and eventually representing Singapore at major Games.”

The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.