Iranian karateka Morteza Nemati celebrated a career milestone at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya after winning the men’s -75kg kumite category. The historic victory earned Iran its first gold medal of the multi-sport event. Furthermore, the achievement gained extra significance because his brother Mahmoud Nemati also captured a gold medal in his respective division. Consequently, the siblings created an unforgettable family highlight while propelling Iran’s karate team to the top of the medal standings.
The championship run builds directly on Nemati’s dominant performance at the recent Asian Championships. Following that continental victory, national team coaches selected him to represent the country at the Asian Games. Nemati expressed deep gratitude to the coaching staff for maintaining unwavering confidence in his abilities throughout the tournament preparations. Additionally, the victory rewarded months of intensive technical preparation designed specifically to defeat elite international opponents.
The tournament path presented significant tactical hurdles, starting with an opening match against Kazakhstan’s Nurkanat Azhikanov. Nemati previously suffered two losses against Azhikanov before reversing that trend during the recent Asian Championships final. In Nagoya, the Iranian fighter dominated the early rematch by securing an impressive eight-point victory margin. Subsequently, he defeated a Filipino opponent in the second round to reach the later stages of the tournament. Nemati ultimately secured the gold medal by defeating Turkmenistan’s Davut Nazymradov 4-3 in the final.
Following his successful campaign in Japan, Nemati plans to take a short break for physical recovery. Afterwards, he will immediately resume training to prepare for the World Cup scheduled for December. Nemati previously won a silver medal at the World Cup two years ago and aims for gold this time. Furthermore, he intends to compete at the upcoming Riyadh Indoor Games while following the 2027 international competition calendar.