UAE female karate player wins silver medal at competition in China

UAE National Karate Team player Fatima Khasif won the silver medal in the women's kumite -68kg competition at the ongoing Asian Championships for men and women in Hangzhou, China.

Kumite, which literally means meeting of hands, is a kind of sparring where two karatekas (practitioner of karate) engage in combat training with blocks and attacks. Sparring is the only facet of karate that requires a partner.

Khasif secured her medal after defeating Saudi Arabia's Lama Kifi 6-0 in the first match, followed by a 10-3 victory over a Japanese player.

In the semifinals, she overcame Jordan's Jud al-Duraws by decision, but in a hard-fought final match, she narrowly lost to the Hong Kong's champion with a score of 2-3.

This is the second medal for Khasif, ranked 91st in the world, following her first silver medal in the same weight category at the Under-21 Asian Championship held in Kazakhastan's capital Almaty in 2021.