Pakistan’s Taekwondo team made history by excelling at the 6th Asian Open (Khyurogi) Taekwondo Championship, held in Indonesia from October 14-17, as confirmed by sports officials on Friday. The team, which included twin sisters Manisha Ali and Maliha Ali from Hunza, claimed multiple medals, including gold, silver, and bronze, marking a historic achievement for the country.
Manisha Ali secured a gold medal by defeating Indonesia’s Parmata Sri with scores of 4-1 and 8-2 in the women’s +73 kg category. Her sister, Maliha, earned a bronze medal in the same category. The Pakistan Taekwondo team overall claimed three gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, placing Pakistan as the top team in the championship. Over 275 athletes from across Asia participated in the event, representing countries such as India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Nepal, and Indonesia.
Lt. Col. (r) Raja Wasim Ahmed, President of the Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF), expressed his pride in the team’s performance, saying, “Thanks to Allah Almighty, the Pakistan Taekwondo team performed exceptionally well and emerged as the number one team at the event. Our athletes are full of talent, and with more opportunities like this, they can deliver even greater results.”
Zubair Macha, an executive member of the PTF, also praised the team’s performance, noting that 12 Pakistani athletes competed and brought home a total of eight medals—three gold, three silver, and two bronze—achieving their best-ever result. Pakistan also secured the overall team trophy, with Head Coach Yousef Karami receiving the Best Coach Award and Shahzaib Khan being named Best Athlete for his high scores.
