Jordan ju-jitsu team continues Asian medal run

Taekwondo bronze medal for Abu Ghaush

By JT - Aug 25,2018 - Last updated at Aug 25,2018

Jordan’s national Ju-jitsu team members display medals they won in the Asian Games competitions in Jakarta on Saturday. Freeh Harahshey (left) displays his bronze in the under-62kg category, Zaid Sami displays his silver gained in the under-94kg category (centre) and Yara Qaqish holds her bronze in the under 62kg category (Photo courtesy of Jordan Olympic Committee)

AMMAN — Jordan’s medal run at the Asian Games in Jakarta has been taken up by the ju-jitsu team who won three medals on a glorious Saturday, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Leading the way was Zaid Sami, 25, who won silver in the -94kg after losing his final to three-time World Champion Faisal Al Ketbi of the UAE.

Sami was in scintillating form as he reached the semifinal with submission victories over Kazakhstan’s Ramazan Kussainov and Iran’s Masoud Jalil Vand.

A hard fought semifinal win over Ilkhom Juraev, of Uzbekistan, then paved his way to the final, but the experienced Al Ketbi proved too much, leaving him settling for silver.

In the women’s -62kg, Yara Kakish, 27, clinched a bronze medal after beating Violetta Krovyakova, of Turkmenistan, in the third-place play-off.

In the same weight for the men’s, Freeh Al Harahsheh, 22, beat Mirali Agayev, of Turkmenistan, in the bronze medal match.

To cap off a fine day for Team Jordan, the boxers launched their campaign with a win, as Olympian, Obada Al Kesbeh, looked in fine form when comfortably beating Bhupenra Thapa to book a place in the last 16 of the Light Welterweight division.

Abu Ghaush wins bronze

On Thursday, Jordan’s Olympic hero Ahmad Abu Ghaush continued the Kingdom’s excellent run in taekwondo by winning a bronze medal. The 22-year-old student picked up Jordan’s fourth medal in the sport this week after winning a race against time to be fit following a broken rib that he suffered in training last month.

After receiving a bye into the last 16, Abu Ghaush, the World No. 3, beat China’s Hong Phuc Ly, 27-16.

Next up was a hard fought 15-12 quarter-final win over Mongolia’s Natsagdorj Achitkhuu to book his spot in the last four.

His bid for a place in the final fell just short in a classic semifinal contest against former junior world champion, Amirmohammad Bakhshikhalhori, 18, of Iran.

In a match that could have gone either way, Abu Ghaush had to settle for bronze after losing 10-8 despite being 10-2 down at one stage.

It has been a tremendous week for the Jordan taekwondo team with Juliana Al Sadeq winning gold and Hamzeh Qattan and Saleh Al Sharabaty taking bronze medals.

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