Physical: Asia Episode 7 — Japan faces an equipment malfunction during Group B’s Totem Hold Challenge

In Episode 7 of Physical: Asia, Japan entered the Totem Hold Match in Group B only to be forced into a redo due to a mechanical error—while teams from Mongolia and Türkiye pressed on and recorded official times.

The malfunction upended Japan’s momentum and left the event unfinished at the end of the episode.

Physical: Asia - Group B: The Totem Hold Match

The Totem Hold Match followed the Zigzag Hurdle event as part of the “Team Representative Match” for Group B, which features Japan, Türkiye, and Mongolia.

Japan selected Yushin Okami and Katsumi Nakamura as their pair, with Okami explaining the strategy:

“You had to count on muscular endurance and weight. Because of that, we thought it will be best to have an all-male team.”

Recognizing the men’s strength for this endurance-based challenge, Japan believed the pairing gave them an advantage.

Meanwhile, Türkiye entered their team of Yasemin Adar Yiğit and Recep Kara. Yasemin declared:

“I want to show everyone how strong women can be.”

From Mongolia came Enkh‑Orgil (MMA fighter) and Adiyasuren (judoka).

They were cautious: Orgil was noted for a smaller build, and Adiyasuren admitted she was nervous going in.

When the match began, Japan’s pair adopted a distinctive grip by crossing their arms to hold the pillars—an approach none of the other six teams tried.

But minutes in, things went awry. Japan’s totem poles did not release properly. A televised onscreen disclaimer read:

“Due to an equipment malfunction, the game proceeded and concluded with the safety pin for Japan’s Totem partially engaged. As per the rules, Teams Mongolia and Türkiye’s times stand, while Japan will redo the game in 40 hours under the same conditions to determine Group B’s ranking for Game 2.”

Japan’s disappointment was evident. A confessional from Japanese competitor Yoshio Itoi confirmed the issue in no uncertain terms.

Japanese captain Okami summarized the resolution:

“So we agreed to go again once the third and fourth games were completed. If we wanted to win, it had to be fair.”

At that point, rather than wait in limbo, Mongolia and Türkiye proceeded with their hold challenge.

The Mongolian pair initially struggled to find balance; Adiyasuren reflected:

“I felt like I was going to lose my grip. I couldn’t think about anything else.”

Meanwhile, Türkiye held steady early, though Yasemin’s arms began to tremble:

“It was a different kind of pain than I anticipated.”

Recep later confessed:

“There was a sharp muscle spasm in my lower back.”

Despite the physical strain, Türkiye held the totems for 16 minutes and 15 seconds before tapping out.

Mongolia, however, endured for 41 minutes and 39 seconds, a time that stood as the event’s benchmark heading into the hanging endurance match later in the episode.

By the close of Physical: Asia's broadcast, Japan had yet to complete the challenge, meaning their official time was not recorded.

This created a partial leaderboard: Mongolia first, Türkiye second, Japan awaiting completion.

As viewers logged off, the drama was unresolved—the redo looming for later in the series.

This sequence in Physical: Asia emphasizes how unpredictable endurance competitions can become—not only due to athlete performance but also machinery, timing, and external factors.

With the Totem Hold challenge unresolved, all eyes on Episode 8 will shift to whether Japan adapts when the pins work, the timer runs clean, and pressure is renewed.

In Physical: Asia, no advantage is guaranteed—certainly not when gear can fail and time becomes the measure of survival.

Stay tuned for more updates.