Qatar Claims Bronz Medal at AKF Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships

The Qatari karate player, Yaman Ashraf Al Natsheh, won the bronze medal in the 67 kg weight category at the conclusion of the Asian Karate Federation (AKF) Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships, which was held over three days in Manila, the Philippines. Yaman won the bronze medal after losing to his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Al Mutairi in the semi-finals after the match ended in a tie (4-4). Qatar's player gave a distinguished performance in the 67 kg weight class, in which 10 players participated, as the draw spared him from competing in the first round. However, in the second round, he was able to outperform Hosen Siam, the Bangladeshi champion, with a score of (9-0), to book his place in the semi-finals, in which he lost by preference. The final match in the 67 kg weight category witnessed the victory of Kuwaiti player Abdullah Al-Mutairi over Hong Kong champion Li Man Hei with a score of (6-0). The Qatar team participated with five players in the tournament, as Yaman Ashraf Al Natsheh participated in the Kumite competitions in the 67 kg weight for under 21 years, Abdulrahman Al Mohannadi in the under 75 kg weight for U21, Abdullah Rashad in the under 84 kg weight for U21, and Abdullah Al Ali in the over 76 kg weight for youth, while Mohammed Younis Abdullah participated in the kata competitions for youth. Head of Qatar team delegation Rashed Al Hajri expressed his satisfaction with the levels presented by the Qatar team players, especially Yaman Ashraf Al Natsheh, who won the bronze medal in the 67 kg weight class. In a press statement, Al Hajri said that the Qatar team players performed well, but the lack of experience prevented them from advancing further in the competitions and winning more medals. He added that the federation will work during the coming period to implement preparation programs and internal and external camps to develop the players' level and gain more experience. In turn, Qatar Karate team coach Mustafa Ahmamy praised the performance of player Yaman Ashraf Al Natsheh, stressing th at he deserved to get a better medal, especially since he tied the score with the Kuwaiti champion who won the gold and was eliminated in the semi-finals by only a slight advantage. Source: Qatar News Agency