Pakistan win two Gold medals in International Taekwondo Championship 2019

FUJAIRAH: Pakistani Taekwondo fighters including an eight-year-old Ayesha shined with their performance in the 7th Fujairah Open International Taekwondo Championship-2019.

Pakistani team consisting of 21 members clinched two Gold medals, one Silver and two Bronze medals in the event.

More than 1,200 players from 40 countries took part in the event. Pakistani Taekwondo players specially from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) outclassed their opponents in the event.

UAE based Pakistani fighter Sinan Ashfaq and Mohammad Danish from South Waziristan won Gold medals for Pakistan. Sinan received the medal in international competition after 18 months of break due to injury. On the other hand, Danish had also clinched the gold medal in Fujairah last year and thrashed his opponents this year too.

Speaking with The News, Sinan proudly stated that the victory always encourages a player, provides energy to do more rigorous training to perform well in competition.

Expressing his efforts from remote mountainous region North Waziristan to international contests, Mohammad Danish really felt proud and informed The News that in his region not many knew about Taekwondo but his success has created awareness and is also encouraging the children from the Tribal Area to play Taekwondo.

Eight-year-old Ayesha Ayaz clinched the bronze medal in the 27-kilogramme category. Ayesha, who belongs to Swat, was the youngest ever player to represent a country in any international event.

Acknowledging the talent kid Ayesha, Head of Contingent Ashfaq Ahmed was delighted to inform The News that she has performed outstandingly in Fujairah and looks like a future prospect for the country.

While, Taimoor Saeed from Karachi won the silver medal for Pakistan and Arifullah Wazir from North Waziristan got bronze medal after defeating the fighters from Egypt, Uzbikistan and Saudi Arabia but lost in semi-finals.

Taimoor Saeed and Arifullah Wazir took part in their first international competition and obtained medals for their homeland.

The Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) President Colonel (retired) Waseem said his federation’s efforts had always been to help potential taekwondo players qualify for the 2020 Olympics. “Qualification round for the Olympics would be held in February 2020 in China. Our efforts are to prepare the top crop for that qualifying round.”

Pakistan contingent: Syed Ameer Hamza Shah, Yasir Mahmood, Syed Abu Huraira Shah, Zar Wali, Ammar Ashfaq Ahmed, Abdul Qayyum, Sinan Ashfaq Ahmed, Afif Ali Khan, Muhammad Saad Qadeer, Hussain Anjum, Qadeer Akram, Muhammad Danish, Muhammad Haris Khan, Ayesha Ayaz, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Saad Usmani, Taimoor Saeed, Arifullah Wazir Khan, Adnan Ali Khan, Haroon Khan, Affan Ali Khan.

Officials: Ashfaq Ahmed (head of contingent), Muhammad Ahmed (manager), Nadir Khan (coach), Syed Rehman Shah (coach).