KARACHI: Pakistan’s Shahzaib Khan made history by becoming the first taekwondo athlete in country to win a silver medal in the final of -54 kg category of the Kyorugi event at Asian Taekwondo Championship in Da Nang, Vietnam on Friday. Shahzaib delivered an outstanding performance against Saudi Arabia’s Hamdi Riyad.

Despite a strong start with a 1-0 lead in the first round, Shahzaib narrowly missed gold due to controversial referee decisions in the final round. The match was a nail-biter. Shahzaib's early lead showcased his technical skills and determination. The second round saw an intense battle, with Riyad winning 9-8 after a pulsating exchange. The third and decisive round was marked by contentious referee calls, resulting in a 7-3 victory for Riyad. "My goal was to win gold medal, but unfortunately, due to the referee’s decision, I came in second," Shahzaib said. "However, I'm happy to have made history for my country by claiming this medal”.