Asian Games: Maratib wins first medal for Pakistan

Pakistani wushu players loses semi-final to Chinese Kun Zhang

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maratib Ali brought home the first medal for Pakistan at the 2014 Asian Games when he reached the semi-finals of the -70kg wushu event in Incheon on Tuesday.

Maratib won the bronze in the Sanda competition for men. He surprised the spectators by reaching the semis after defeating Kyrgyzstan's Nurlanbek Mamataliev 2-0 in the quarter-final on Monday.

The seasoned athlete, however, failed to keep up with his form in the semi-final and lost to China’s Kun Zhang.

In the second semi-final of the -70kg competition, Iran’s Sajjad Abbasiamir lost to Sanghoon Yoo.

Pakistan’s Abdullah Khan also reached the quarter-finals of the -60kg event on Monday, but the 20-year-old failed to progress in the competition as he lost to India’s Narender Grewal.