Actor Fahad Mustafa has praised two Pakistani taekwondo athletes, Tayiba Ashraf and Sumbal Fatima, for winning medals at an international championship in Thailand. He shared their pictures on his Instagram story, congratulating them for their “outstanding performances” and for winning medals for Pakistan.
The athletes competed at the 9th Hero International Taekwondo Open Championship, held in Pattaya, Thailand. Pakistan’s taekwondo team put in a strong performance, bringing home four medals in total. The event was highly competitive, with athletes from more than 30 countries taking part, including Thailand, Indonesia, India, the United States, Italy and Japan.
Tayiba Ashraf had a great outing at the championship. She won a bronze medal in the women’s 53kg fighting category. She then added a silver medal in the Speed Kicking event, making it a two-medal campaign for her.
Sumbal Fatima was one of Pakistan’s top performers at the event. She claimed gold in the Individual Recognized Poomsae category, a discipline that judges the precision and form of martial arts patterns. She also won a silver medal in the Speed Punch event.
Given the strength of the international field, Pakistan’s four-medal haul was seen as a notable achievement for the country’s taekwondo program. Public support from celebrities like Mustafa also gives a boost to athletes who often get less mainstream attention than cricket or other bigger sports in Pakistan.
