Iran karatekas bag five medals at Asia C’ships on first day
Iranian karate athletes snatched two gold medals at the 2023 AKF Senior Championships currently taking place in Malaysia.
On the opening day of the competition, Behnam Dehqanzadeh clinched the first gold for Iran’s team in the Senior Kumite Male -55kg category. His victory came after a hard-fought battle, defeating Jordan’s Omar Shaqrah with a score of 6-4 in the final.
Prior to cruising to the final, Dehqanzadeh showcased his prowess by defeating opponents from Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia in earlier rounds.
Adding to Iran’s success, Atousa Golshadnezhad also stood tall as she secured a gold medal in the Senior Kumite Female -61kg division. She outclassed her Emirati opponent Sarah Alameri with a convincing 3-0 victory, earning the title of Asia’s champion in her category.
Iran’s karate contingent continued to shine, with Amir Mehdizadeh earning a bronze medal in the Senior Kumite Male -67kg category. Meanwhile, Fatemeh Sadeqi in the Kata Female and Abolfazl Shahrjerdi in the Kata Male secured their places on the podium, finishing third in their respective events.