Pak players return after featuring in Fajr Open, World Taekwondo President’s Asia Cup
Taekwondo Federation Executive Member Zubair Macha and other officials welcomed the national team with garlands and bouquets on their arrival at the airport.
Pakistani players returned home on Saturday after participating in the 33rd Fajr Open and World Taekwondo President’s Asia Cup played in Tehran, Iran.
Pakistani players Haroon Khan, Hamza Saeed, Mazhar Abbas, Shahzaib Khan, Arbaaz Khan, and Ikhteshamul Haq landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.
Hamza Saeed, who won the gold medal for Pakistan in the +87kg category of the Fajr Open Taekwondo Championship, said during the championship, it was a tough competition by the opponent players, especially the Iranian players gave a tough time, but thanks to our head coach Yusuf Karami’s hard work and guidance in the training sessions, Almighty Allah gave me success and a victory.
“My next target for the Paris Olympics is to reach the victory stand in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers to be held in China this March and the Asian Taekwondo Championship in Vietnam in May, for which I will pay more attention to my training to further hone my skills, he said.
It may be mentioned that Hamza Saeed was declared the best player of the Fajr Open Championship and won the bronze medal in the President’s Asia Cup.
Shahzeb Khan, who won the bronze medal in the -54 kg category in the World Taekwondo President’s Asia Cup, said he regretted not winning a gold medal. In the final, there was very tough competition between Bektor and Lakhanyu of Kazakhstan, unfortunately, he lost the fight.
Meanwhile, the President of the Pakistan Taekwondo Federation Col. (R) Waseem Janjua, and CEO Omar Saeed expressed satisfaction over the team’s performance in Iran and hoped for better results from the players in the upcoming events.
