ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Shahzaib Khan and Naqsh Hamdani have qualified for the finals of Combaxx 4th Asian Open International Taekwondo Championship (G2) here at Liaquat Gymnasium of Pakistan Sports Complex on Thursday.
In the semifinal of -54kg men, Pakistan’s Shahzaib Khan downed Elwalid Mahdy Khalid from Egypt by 2-0 while in -53kg women, Naqsh defeated Fakhra Khalid from Pakistan by 2-0.
Besides Pakistani players, foreign players have also qualified for the finals in their respective categories of the championship.
Female athlete Aidana (Kazakhstan) downed Ana Delo of Timor Leste in the -46kg Women’s semi-final while Indra Bajneet (Nepal) beat Maliha Ali of Pakistan in the semi-final of -67kg Women’s semi-final.
Meanwhile, Farzan Falah (Iran) beat Ibrahim Zaki (Egypt) and outplayed in the semi-final of the -63kg Men in the semi-final.
Farzan Falah (Iran) beat Ibrahim Zaki (Egypt) in the -80kg Men’s semis. In the semi-final of the -80kg Men’s category, Hasan Bashiri (Iran) beat Alireza (Iran).
In the matches played prior, Shahzaib Khan outplayed Elwalid Mahdy Khalid from Egypt 2-0 in the -54 Men’s competition, while Naqsh Hamdani beat compatriot Fakhra Khalid 2-0 in -53 women’s category contest.
Earlier, in the quarterfinals of the -54kg Men’s contest, Shahzaib Khan had downed Muhib Muhammad from Egypt by 2-1.
In -46kg women’s contest, Pakistan’ Hana beat Yadiba from Kazakistan by 2-0 while in the -67 women’s contest, Nepal’s Basnet beat Nisa Hala from Srilanka by 2-0. In -63kg Men’s contest, Zaki from Egypt beat Noman from Pakistan by 2-0.