Abu Ghaush scores gold in Jordan’s first Olympic medal win

AMMAN — Jordan player Ahmad Abu Ghaush won gold in the taekwondo -68kg event on Friday, the first Olympic medal for Jordan.

He beat Russia’s Alexey Dinisenko 10-6, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee.

The 20-year-old student, the youngest competitor in the division, had qualified to the final late Thursday after beating Spain’s 2012 London gold medallist Joel Gonzalez 12-7.

On the same day, Abu Ghaush beat world champion Daehoon Lee, according to the Rio Olympics' official website.

He beat the South Korean 11-8.

In his opening match earlier on Thursday Abu Ghaush took on Egypt’s Ghofran Ahmed in Carioca Arena 3, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Abu Ghaush, the youngest in the division at just 20, had beaten the Egyptian in their previous three meetings, and kept that streak going with a 9-1 victory over the 23-year-old.

“I am thrilled to have got off to a winning start,” said the Amman-based student.

He fought against the far taller opponent and opened his account with a head kick right on the first round buzzer to take a 3-0 lead.

The Jordanian continued his strong performance through the remaining two rounds to cruise through to victory.