Saadi wins silver at International Erzurum C’ship

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier karateka Saadi Abbas added another feather to his cap when he snared silver medal in the 14th International Erzurum Karate Championship in Erzurum, Turkey.

Karachi’s experienced fighter fell in the final by just one pint against his Turkish rival.Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) said on Thursday that Saadi qualified for the final after winning four fights. He won the first two fights 5-1 and 7-2 against Turkish players before beating an Iranian fighter 8-0 in the third fight of the minus 75 kilogramme weight category.

In the fourth fight he beat a player from Azerbaijan 5-4. In the final fight, Saadi did his best before falling 2-3 after a gripping fight.

Saadi won silver in the Islamic Games in Baku in May. He also has to his credit two Commonwealth Championship crowns and the titles of the Asian Championship and the US Open. Last month he won gold in Colombo in the South Asian Championship.