Turkmenistan Emerge As Overall Champions At Asian Kickboxing Championships

AKIPRESS.COM - After five days of action, Turkmenistan emerged as the most successful country in the Asian Kickboxing Confederation (WAKO Asia) Championships 2016/17 at the Martial Arts Arena in the Ashgabat Olympic Complex on Sunday, Laurel news services said.

The home country won a total of 27 gold, 25 silver and 23 bronze medals to lead the medal table, while Iran, with 22 gold, nine silver and 12 bronze followed.The host added a mammoth 25 medals 13 gold and 12 silver to its collection on the final day.

Iran was the second most successful team on Sunday, bringing in nine gold and three silver medals.Turkmenistan's Gulzada Jorakulyyeva had a sensational tournament.

She won two gold on the last day, in the 65kg low kick and full contact categories, to take her final tally to three gold medals. Jorakkulyyeva had made the kick light title her own on Saturday.

The 18-year-old was the joint most successful athlete of the five-day Championships, but remained humble."I worked really hard for this achievement and I'm glad I pulled it off.

I was a bit tense going into the final day. There were two finals, so I knew I had to be really focused.

The crowd kept mentally pushing me and I'm really thankful for their encouragement. I couldn't have done it without their support.

"Four kickboxers from Iran and a Turkmenistan athlete completed double gold medal hauls on the final day. For Iran, Majid Akbarzadehmoshtadhi (men's 84kg light contact and point fighting), Fotima Kholova (women's 50kg kick light and light contact), Zeinab Jabbari (women's 65kg point fighting and light contact) and Shahnaz Mirheidari (women's 60kg point fighting and light contact)...