Pakistan taekwondo team aim at making the country proud at the Kazakhstan Open International Taekwondo Championship 2025. PHOTO COURTESY: PAK TAEKWONDO
KARACHI:
Pakistani taekwondo athletes Noman Khan and Hamza Omer concluded their campaign at Kazakhstan Open 2025 with two bronze medals. Noman got his medal in the -63 kg event, while Hamza had his podium finish in the +87 kg men’s events in Astana.
The Kazakhstan Open International Taekwondo Championship was scheduled from 14-16 August 2025.
The G1-ranked event will see participation from 21 nations, including Pakistan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, UAE, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and teams competing under the WT Refugee flag.
The Pakistani contingent is led by Lt. Col Zeeshan Aslam as the head of the yeam. The squad includes, national head coach Master Yousef Karami along with the athletes, Shahzaib Khan (-54 kg), Hamza Omar Saeed (+87 kg), Noman Khan (-68 kg), Abu Bakar Siddique (-58 kg), Kaif Anwar (-74 kg), Arbaz Khan (-63 kg), and female athlete Fatemah Zahra in (-49 kg).
Shahzeb reached the quarterfinal but lost the match, and Abu Bakar, Arbaz, and Fatemah faced the loses after booking their places among the last-eight of their events as well.
Kaif, however, lost in his first fight.
Team head Lt. Col Zeeshan Aslam had expressed confidence in the squad’s preparations and he was confident of the athletes’ ability to win medals, “The team has been training intensively, with high spirits. Competing during the month of Independence adds to the motivation. Our goal is to win gold for Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, coach Karami added: “Athletes have also taken part in joint training sessions alongside other international teams, gaining valuable exposure ahead of the high-profile event.”
Pakistani athletes were in action on 14th August in their respective weight categories.