MANAMA, Bahrain (Nov 30, 2024) - I.R. Iran Para Taekwondoins put up a scintillating show to finish the year on a high, clinching five gold medals at the one-day Bahrain 2024 Para Taekwondo Open on Friday, November 29.
This was the last Kyorugi event of the year with athletes looking forward to embarking on the LA 2028 Paralympic Games cycle.
Iran’s dominance was led by Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medallist Zahra Rahimi who took the gold medal in K44 Women -52kg. She saw off Karomatoy Rustamova of Uzbekistan 19-6 in the final.
Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist and Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games champion Khwansuda Phuangkitcha, however, lost to Iran's Ailar Jami 4-12 in the K44 Women -47kg final, in the biggest upset of the day.
The men’s events were keenly contested with at least eight participants in the categories. And with the regular stars giving the Bahrain 2024 event a miss, the little-known names made the most of the opportunity.
Seventh seeded Abolfazl Imani of Iran overcame a strong challenge from Iraq’s Hussein Al-Buhaydar to take the K44 Men -58kg gold medal. Imani won 19-16.
Amirhossein Alizadeh Arab added to Iran’s gold medal tally prevailing over Uzbekistan’s Rasuljon Olimov 15-14 in K44 Men -63kg final.
Amirmohammad Haghighatshenas joined his Iranian compatriots on the top of podium outplaying Thailand’s Asian Para Games medallist Tanapan Sotthiset 21-9 in the K44 Men -70kg gold medal match.
Gold for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Thailand
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s Alisher Garipollayev lived up to his reputation winning the K44 Men +80kg final by a big margin 48-11 over Turkiye’s Sefertayyip Harputlu.
Uzbekistan also celebrated on the top of the podium when Kudrat Muhammadiev defeated Croatia’s Marko Gracak 21-7 in the K44 Men -80kg final.
In other women’s matches, Awipa Phuaphan fetched Thailand its only gold winning the K44 Women -65kg event. Phuaphan surprised Mariam Salimgereeva, Kazakhstan’s Asian Para Games bronze medallist, 9-4 for the gold medal.
In contrast, Individual Neutral Athlete Mariia Fisenko thrashed Uzbekistan’s Melikuzieva Karima 18-2 in the K44 Women -57kg gold medal match.
A total of 57 athletes representing 14 countries from three regions and one neutral athlete competed at the Bahrain 2024 Para Taekwondo Open.
