Asian Karate Championship:
Iran’s Bahmanyar settles for kumite bronze on Day 1
The first day of the 21st Asian Senior Karate Championship saw Iranian girl Sara Bahmanyar win a bronze medal in the women’s kumite competitions in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Friday.
Former world bronze medalist Bahmanyar began her -50kg campaign with a victory over Palestinian Ibaa Salama but suffered a 2-1 defeat against the host’s Gulshan Alimardanova.
However, the Iranian was given a second chance for a podium finish in repechage, after the Uzbek fighter progressed to the final showpiece.
Bahmanyar defeated Indonesian Arnella Putri Wandari 7-0 and then beat Chan Hsin-Yu 4-3 to win a joint-bronze alongside Kazakhstan’s Moldir Zhangbyrbay – third Asian bronze in four editions for the Iranian girl, who also settled for a third-spot finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games two years ago.
In the men’s kumite event, Behnam Dehqanzadeh – an Asian bronze winner last year – defeated Resul Garatayev 6-4, but was knocked out of the -55kg contest following a 4-3 setback against Jordanian Rahman Haimour.