An indomitable spirit can take a person a long way, and Netrokona’s Jinnat Akter has proved it by winning a historic bronze medal at the 20th Asian Games.
The Bangladesh Army athlete secured the bronze medal in the women’s 52kg Wushu event after reaching the semi-finals, ending a 40-year wait for Bangladesh for an individual medal at the Asian Games.
Jinnat, daughter of late Arz Ali and Roushana Akter, is from Khatibnagua area in Netrokona municipal town. Her international success has brought immense joy and pride to her family and the local community.
On 23 September, Jinnat faced Indonesia’s Tharisa Diah Florentina in the quarter-final of the women’s 52kg event at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall in Japan. However, the Indonesian competitor was disqualified for failing to meet the prescribed weight limit, allowing Jinnat to advance to the semi-final and secure a medal.
Jinnat, a seven-time national champion, has won several medals after taking part in various events since childhood.
Bangladesh’s last individual medal at the Asian Games came at the 1986 Seoul Games, when boxer Mosharraf Hossain won bronze. After four decades, Jinnat, a daughter of Netrokona, brought home another individual medal for Bangladesh.
Her bronze took Bangladesh’s total Asian Games medal tally to 15, comprising one gold, five silver and nine bronze medals.
Jinnat then faced China’s Yu Di in the semi-final. She lost the bout, ending her chance of competing for gold or silver, but secured the bronze medal.
Jinnat’s achievement, coming from an ordinary family in Khatibnagua, has become a matter of pride not only for her family but also for Netrokona and Bangladesh’s sporting community.
She returned home with her medal on 26 September and received a warm reception and floral greetings from the Bangladesh Olympic Association and the Wushu Federation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
