Wushu fighter Jinnat Akter has brought Bangladesh its first medal of the Asian Games, winning bronze in the women’s 52kg fighting event.
The medal had already been confirmed on Tuesday. Wednesday’s semi-final was about deciding its colour.
Jinnat could not overcome China’s Yu Di, losing 4-0 in the semi-final and having to settle for bronze.
Jinnat received a bye in the first round and did not have to compete in the quarter-final either. Indonesia’s Tharisa Florentina was disqualified for being overweight, allowing Jinnat to reach the semi-final without taking to the mat.
In wushu, two bronze medals are awarded alongside the gold and silver medals. However, only one bronze is awarded if there are eight or fewer competitors. There were 15 competitors in the women’s 52kg fighting event, meaning Jinnat was guaranteed a medal after reaching the semi-finals.
After winning the medal, Jinnat said, “This is my first international Games. By the grace of Allah, I have won a medal here. I could not sleep all night before the semi-final.”
She also stressed the need for better facilities and coaching if Bangladesh are to make further progress in wushu.
“We badly need our own venue for intensive training throughout the year. We also need a foreign coach. Only then will it be possible to take wushu much further,” she said.
Jinnat’s bronze comes 40 years after boxer Mosharraf Hossain won Bangladesh’s first individual Asian Games medal at the 1986 Seoul Games. That medal was also bronze.
Four decades later, Jinnat has joined Mosharraf in Bangladesh’s Asian Games history.
