World Taekwondo Junior Championships:
Girls glorious as Iran wins four medals on Day 5
Iranians continued their impressive run at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships, collecting four more medals, including two golds, on Saturday in Chuncheon, South Korea.
Hana Zarrinkamar opened the account for the country on the fifth day of the competitions by coming out victorious in straight rounds (11-6, 13-0) over the host’s Lim Yerim in the women’s -68kg final.
Ghazal Houshmand clinched a fourth women’s gold for Iran when she defeated Yang Xiruo of China in two rounds for the -42kg crown.
In the men’s draw, Ali-Akbar Ebrahimi dominated opponents from Portugal, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Bosnian & Herzegovina, and Azerbaijan, not conceding a single round, to reach the -73kg final, only to suffer a 2-1 defeat against South Korean Park Jae won and take the silver.
Amin-Mohammad Ahmadvand took a bronze medal in his maiden appearance in the championships after a loss to Croatian Oscar Kovacic in the -78kg semifinals.
Saturday’s results took Iran’s medal haul to a remarkable seven gold medals, as well as two silvers and bronzes apiece across the men’s and women’s event.
Mahdi Razmian had won a fifth gold medal for Iran on the preceding night in Chuncheon, thanks to an emphatic victory over Spanish Agenjo Trigos, who had not dropped a single round en route to the final, in the men’s -48kg showdown.
Razmian needed three rounds in three of his bouts earlier in the day – including the last-four victory over Kazakhstan’s Temirzhan Taskyn – but showed no signs of the fatigue against the Spaniard, controlling the first round to win 6-1 before a commanding 12-2 triumph in the second saw the Iranian walk away with the ultimate prize.
On Thursday, Sina Mohtarami pulled off a thrilling 2-1 win (18-7, 9-11, 14-12) against Nurali Makhmut of Kazakhstan for the men’s -55kg gold, while Saghar Moradi settled for a silver after a loss to Tunisian Masghouni Wafa in the women’s -63kg weight class.
Amirmohammad Nasir-Ahmadi finished his campaign with a consolation bronze in the men’s -51kg contests.
Amirmohammad Ashrafi (men’s +78kg), Parnian Nouri (women’s -52kg), and Aynaz Nasiri (women’s -59kg) had grabbed three gold medals for Iran earlier in Chuncheon.
The 14th edition of the World Junior Championships will come to an end today.