ISLAMABAD (APP) – Hamdi Riyad of Saudi Arabia won the gold medal by defeating Shahzeb Khan of Pakistan in the final of the -54 kg category of the Kyorugi event of the Asian Taekwondo Championship at Da Nang, Vietnam. In the first round of the finals, Shahzeb won 1-0 against his Saudi opponent.
In the second round, a tough competition was seen between the two players. Hamdi Riyad won by scoring 9 points against 8, said a press release. In the third and decisive round, the referee showed partiality and gave many controversial decisions against Pakistan. Hamdi Riyad won the gold medal with a difference of 7 points against 3. Shahzeb Khan won the first silver medal for Pakistan in the history of the Asian Taekwondo Championship. In other matches played today, in the – 87 kg category, Pakistan’s Ikhtshamul Haque was defeated by India’s Rishabh by 2-1. In the -58 kg category, Saudi Arabia’s Jar Yousef won 2-1 against Pakistan’s Abu Bakr Siddiq. In the women’s -73 kg weight, Korea’s Myeong Mi-Na defeated Pakistan’s Maleeha with the score of 2-0.