Fatima Khasif, a member of the UAE National Karate Team, has won the silver medal in the women's kumite -68kg category at the ongoing Asian Championships for men and women in Hangzhou, China.
Khasif’s journey to the silver medal began with a decisive 6-0 victory over Saudi Arabia's Lama Kifi in her first match. She followed this up with a dominant 10-3 win against a Japanese competitor. In the semifinals, Khasif advanced by decision after a hard-fought bout against Jordan's Jud al-Duraws. However, she narrowly missed out on the gold medal, losing 2-3 in a close final to the reigning champion from Hong Kong.
Kumite, which translates to “meeting of hands,” is a type of sparring in karate where two practitioners engage in combat using blocks and attacks. It is the only aspect of karate that involves direct competition between partners.
Ranked 91st in the world, this is Khasif's second medal in the -68kg category. Her first silver came at the Under-21 Asian Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in 2021.
Khasif’s remarkable performance in Hangzhou solidifies her reputation as one of the UAE's top karate talents on the international stage.