A Fast Ippon and a Bigger Goal: Han Qi’s Home-Tournament Lesson in Qingdao

Han Qi used the Qingdao Grand Prix to show both his promise and his honesty about where he stands in judo right now. Competing at home in China in the -90 kg category on the IJF World Judo Tour, he finished seventh, but for him the result was less about the ranking and more about the direction it pointed toward.

Han made it clear that seventh place was not the target. His focus is the Olympic Games, and his performance in Qingdao felt like an early checkpoint on that road rather than a final statement.

The strongest opening moment came immediately. Against Halmuminov Omuruzak of Turkmenistan, Han scored Ippon after just 20 seconds, giving the home crowd exactly the kind of explosive start they wanted. He described how intense the atmosphere felt, with the stands packed and the energy from the spectators pushing him forward.

Han Qi’s day started with a 20-second Ippon in front of his home crowd.

He carried that momentum into his second contest against John Jayne of the USA. Han secured the win with two Yuko scores, but what stood out was his effort to reset mentally after the emotional high of the first match. Instead of getting carried away, he tried to settle himself and stay focused on what was coming next.

That shift in mood mattered because the level rose sharply in the quarter-finals. Facing Brazil’s Guilherme Schimidt, Han felt his relative lack of experience in major events. He openly admitted that this is one of the gaps he still has to close if he wants to compete consistently with top international opposition.

The day ended in repechage against Azerbaijan’s Murad Fatiyev, where Han’s run came to a stop. Two straight losses were clearly disappointing, but he did not hide behind excuses. Instead, he pointed to two areas he believes must improve: technical execution and emotional control.

That self-awareness may be one of the most important takeaways from Qingdao. Han did not present his seventh-place finish as a breakthrough. He treated it as a lesson, saying he needs to work step by step and learn from difficult contests instead of rushing the process.

His connection to judo goes back to age 11, when he entered a specialised sports school. He said he was drawn in after watching videos online and being struck by the power and smoothness of high-level throwing. The moment of scoring Ippon still remains the part of judo he loves most.

Han also spoke about the influence of Tong Wen, the Beijing 2008 Olympic champion and former teammate, as a major inspiration. He credited Coach Wu as well, not only for teaching technique but also for teaching values and character.

In that sense, Qingdao offered a clear picture of where Han Qi is in his career. There was excitement, there were mistakes, and there was a reminder of the gap to the top. But there was also ambition, realism, and a visible hunger to keep building.

For Han, seventh place was not the destination, only the first step.

As part of a rising Chinese men’s judo team, Han believes more international experience during this Olympic cycle can help lift the group further. In Qingdao, the result was mixed, but the message was simple: the journey has started, and he wants it to end on the Olympic stage.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation