YOUTH TEAM ADDS FIVE MEDALS

Following on from Friday’s success from its Junior team, Jordan has gone on to win a further five medals on Saturday through the Youths at the Asian Junior, Youth and U21 Karate Championships in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Hassan Masarwa led the way with a gold medal, followed by a pair of silvers for Yazan Al-Wahr and Rahaf Abu Ghaush, with Abdullah Hammad and Saleh Al-Sawalha picking up bronzes. Added to the four medals won the previous day, Jordan sits in third on the table behind leaders Japan and Saudi Arabia, in second.

Masarwa took his gold medal in the 68kg category with victories over fighters from Japan (two), Chinese Taipei, and then Kazakhstan’s Abelsmoor in the final.

Al-Wahr took silver in the -67kg weight by reaching the final with wins over fighters from Tajikistan, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka before succumbing to Japan’s Skiyama Casey in the final.

Abu Ghaush took silver in the girls’ -59kg division with wins over Malaysian, Indian and Japanese opponents but she found Vietnam’s Huang too much in the final.

Youth Olympian Hammad took bronze after reaching the semi-final of the -61kg weight, losing to Kazakhstan’s Kulazan. He then fought for bronze medal match and beat Japan’s Ito Hiroki.

Al Sawalha went the same way, losing to Japan’s Hertha Kyo in the semi-finals of the +76kg weight, before bouncing back to beat Vietnam’s Tran Li Tan for bronze.