ISLAMABAD: Pakistan athletes took a flying start to the Combaxx Asian Open Taekwondo Championship which started here at the Pakistan Sports Complex on Wednesday.

The hosts dominated the proceedings winning nine gold medals in the Poomsae discipline, out of a total 10, while one was clinched by Nepal.

In Poomsae’s U-30 mixed pair event, Pakistan’s Flower Zaheer and Anas claimed gold while Ammar and Fatima won silver. Shafi and Ulma took bronze and the fourth spot went to Zain Hasan and Latif.

In the mixed pair of over-30 category, Ali and Shafqat grabbed gold. Ali and Bashir came second, Changaizi and Kausar were third while Farhan and Hajra ended fourth.

Pakistan’s Qadeer, Waheed and Hussain won gold in the men’s under-30 team event. Shehzad, Didar and Ahmed got silver; Khalid, Abbas and Ayub won bronze and Tariq, Gul and Jameel secured fourth spot.

Hussain, Mumtaz and Ali of Pakistan clinched the men’s over-30 team title. They were followed by second-placed Mehmood and Waqas; Ali, Saleem and Akhtar were third. Saudi Arabia’s Salman Ali Al-Albane, Al-Madali and Al-Abbas took fourth position.

Men’s Under-40 individual event was secured by Pakistan’s Shahbaz Ahmed. Saudi Arabia’s Muhammad Ali Al-Abbas came second, Pakistan’s Mudassar Hussain third while Salman Ali Al-Albane finished fourth.

Nepal’s Ashmin Raut won gold in the men’s Under-30 individual event. He was followed by Pakistan athletes Aqdusullah (silver) and Hasan Alam (bronze). Ahmed Shahzad got fourth place.

On the women’s side, Mehru-Nisa earned the under-40 individual title.

Pakistan’s Aqsa Shafaqat won silver and Mahdiyeh Oghbaei of Iran took bronze. Pakistan’s Hajira Nawab came fourth.

In the women’s under-30 individual event, Naila of Pakistan earned gold while her compatriots Kinza Fatima and Izha Rehman sealed silver and bronze, respectively.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 03 2023

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