GOLD FOR JORDAN AT ASIAN KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

 Omar Al Najjar has clinched gold for Jordan at the 16th AKF Cadet, Junior and U21 Asian Karate Championships taking place in Kazakhstan.

Following an impressive opening day when three bronze medals were won, Al Najjar led the charge on Day Two by beating Japan’s Takuto Honda (6-4) to take the title.

Earlier he beat Thailand’s Pikanet Sukyik and Iran’s Ali Meskini on his way to the gold medal match. Meanwhile, Mohammad Sami took silver in the -60kg after losing to Iran’s Nejad Rahimi (5-2) in the final.

Sami beat Tajikistan’s Sayyod Gafurov, Saudi Arabia’s Abdulazizi Al AlAlyani and then Uzbekistan’s Bekzod Tuyugunov in the semi-final.

Hala Turaish added a bronze medal to Jordan’s haul after reaching the semi-final where she lost to to Iran’s Shaghayegh Vahedi (1-0) in the -68kg.

Turaish had beaten another Iranian Payal Baral to make the last four. Majdeh Al Bashayreh lost her U21 debut of U21 to Uzbekistan’s Zulkumor Tursunalieve (7-0) in the -55kg, while Nabil Al Shwaiki lost his -67kg bronze match to Iran’s Bayat Sohrabi (5-3).

Mohammad Shaded also lost in the -84kg class to Iran’s Mahdi Mahani.

Jordan have secured six medals to date with one gold, one silver and four bronzes.

Tomorrow (Saturday), Abdullah Kreik (-60kg), Bashar Al Najjar (-67kg), Ra’ed Reyad (-75kg), Ayat Fetian (-68kg), Mahmoud Al Sajjan (-84kg) and Nicola Matta (+84kg) will all be in action.