Bangladesh have finally secured a medal at the Asian Games. Jinnat Akter put the country on the medal table on Tuesday by reaching the semi-finals of the wushu 52kg fighting event.
At the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, boxer Mosharraf Hossain won Bangladesh’s bronze medal in an individual event. It remained the country’s only medal in an individual event at Asia’s biggest multi-sport competition. After a 40-year wait, Jinnat has now joined Mosharraf as a medallist.
Jinnat booked her place in the semi-finals at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall after her Indonesian quarter-final opponent, Tharisa De Florentina, was disqualified for being overweight. Jinnat had received a bye in the preliminary round to advance to the last eight.
According to the Games’ regulations, when more than eight competitors take part in an event, all four semi-finalists are guaranteed a medal. With 16 athletes competing in Jinnat’s weight category, her place in the semi-finals has assured Bangladesh of at least a bronze medal. Bangladesh Wushu Association general secretary Dildar Hossain Dilu confirmed the development.
Dilu added that if Jinnat wins her semi-final, she will compete for gold. Even if she loses, Bangladesh will still take bronze in the event.
The Bangladesh Army wushu athlete will face China’s Di Wu in the semi-final on Wednesday.
On learning that she had won an international medal in an individual event for Bangladesh after 40 years, Jinnat said: “I am very happy to have done something for my country. I ask everyone to keep me in their prayers. I hope to take Bangladeshi wushu even further.”
