Pakistan’s impressive performance at the 6th Asian Taekwondo Open Championships continued with a historic first gold medal from Shahzeb Khan. Competing in the -54 kg weight category, Shahzeb claimed victory with a remarkable comeback, overcoming the Philippines’ Calamba. Despite a challenging start with a 6-11 score in the first round, Shahzeb surged back to win the second round 10-3 and dominated the third round with an 18-0 score, securing Pakistan’s first gold medal in the competition.
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The achievement garnered praise from key sports figures, including Pakistan Olympic Association President Syed Abid Qadri, Secretary General Khalid Mahmood, Special Olympics Pakistan Chairperson Ronak Lakhani, Pakistan Taekwondo Federation President Col. Waseem Janjua, and CEO Omar Saeed.
Adding to Pakistan’s medal count, Hamza Saeed earned a silver in the +87 kg category after a hard-fought match against Kazakhstan’s Kablan, with scores of 5-1 and 4-4.
Shahzeb and Hamza join their teammates Ikhtshamul Haq, who previously won a silver, and Maleeha Ali, who secured a bronze, showcasing Pakistan’s strong presence at this year’s championships.