Pakistan athletes top perform in Taekwondo International Championship

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani athletes bagged gold and silver medals in the 3rd Mount Everest Open Taekwondo International Championship at Pokhara, Nepal. Pakistan’s Hamza Omar Saeed and Mazhar Abbas won gold while Haroon Khan and Arbaz Khan took silver medals in the Championship, said a press release issued on Monday.

In the grand final of the +87kg category of Khyurogi event, Hamza took lead against India’s Gaurav Bhat in the first round with 11-2 points and then outclassed him 11-4 in the second round to fetch the shining Gold.

In the final of -80kg, Pakistan’s Mazhar overpowered his Indian counterpart Resheb 9-7 in the first round, while in the second round, Resheb staged a comeback with 8-4 points. However, in the third round, the game swung in Mazhar’s favour and he outshined his Indian counterpart by 8-0 to fetch a Gold Medal.

Meanwhile, in the -58kg final contest, Korea’s Tae Joon Park beat Pakistan Haroon Khan 9-1 and 11-3 in a one-sided game. In the –63kg final, India’s Shewam Sudesh Shetti beat Pakistan’s Arbaz Khan 6-5 and 7-2. In the Female -57kg semi-final, Pakistan’s Noor Rehman got a bronze medal. She lost to India’s Sonam Rawal 3-0 and 4-0 in a low-scoring contest in the semifinal.

Pakistani athletes have top performed in the Championship and have claimed three gold, two silver, and as many bronze medals in the Khyurogi event. In the Poomsae event, they also collected an impressive tally by winning three gold and one silver and four bronze medals. Overall, their medals tally stands at six gold medals, three silver medals, and six bronze in the International Championship.

Pakistan’s Poomsae chief Coach Master Seongoh Choi of Korea and Khyurogi’s Iranian coach Yousef Karami of the national team said players’ superb form in the event would help them perform magnificently in the upcoming Combaxx Asian Championship to be played in Islamabad this November. (APP)