Fatema Akter and Mohammad Mannan will aim for places in the quarter-finals after reaching the second round on Bangladesh’s Asian Games surfing debut in Tahara, Japan.
Fatema finished third in her women’s first round heat, while Mannan secured second place in his men’s heat. Both will compete in the second round on Saturday.
Bangladesh made its Asian Games surfing debut on Friday when Fatema competed in the second heat of the women’s event. She faced surfers from China and Indonesia and finished third.
The competition faced several delays due to poor weather and small waves. The remaining women’s heats later resumed before the men’s event began.
Mannan competed in the fifth heat against surfers from Afghanistan and Indonesia. He finished second to secure his place in the next round.
Bangladesh surfing team official Mohammad Saifullah Sifat said both surfers will now target the quarter-finals.
“Fatema finished third and Mannan second in the first round to reach the second round. They will compete again on Saturday and will aim for a place in the quarter-finals if the weather remains favourable,” Sifat said.
Mannan was pleased with his performance.
“Today’s heat went very well. I competed against surfers from Indonesia and Afghanistan and finished second. I am very happy. Hopefully, I can do even better in the next round,” he said.
