Haroon Khan determined to do his best in Asian qualifying round for Tokyo 2020

KARACHI: Pakistan’s highly talented taekwondo fighter Haroon Khan is determined to put in his best in the Asian qualifying round for 2020 Tokyo Olympics in China in spring this year.

“Yes, Asian qualifying round is my main target and I am very much confident to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” Haroon told ‘The News’ in an interview from his hometown Quetta on Tuesday.

Haroon plays in -58 kilogramme category and is regarded as one of the most dangerous fighters Pakistan has ever produced. He is just 21 and is yet to go a long way. The gold and silver medallists of the Asian qualifying round, which will be held in China in early April, will qualify for the Olympics.

“Although Asian qualifying round will not be easy, I believe that the way I have been delivering in various international events I am hopeful I will spring a surprise at the major stage,” Haroon said.

Besides winning seven national golds, Haroon grabbed gold medal at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal. He also won a couple of bronze medals in events in Jordan and Iran.

Haroon last year also featured in the Tokyo Olympics Test Event and he is happy that there he defeated China’s national fighter. “I defeated there a fighter from the national team of China and it was not easy. I had also beaten Jordan’s national fighter before that in Jordan,” said Haroon, who made his SAG debut in 2016 in India. “I had not been able to perform well in India’s South Asian Games, but that was my first experience,” he said.

Haroon shot to fame when he performed exceptionally well in the World Championships in Manchester last year. He defeated the 2016 European Championship gold medallist Mourad Laachraoui of Belgium in the round of 32. In the round of 64, Haroon defeated Ralph Honeine of Lebanon. However, he went down to Portugal’s Rui Braganca in the pre-quarter-final.

“The Belgium fighter was tough but I beat him quite convincingly,” said Haroon, who started taekwondo when he was a kid. He started focusing on his education but adopted the game after doing his intermediate. “I am the lone fighter from my family,” said Haroon, who wants Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) to provide him with a few events before going for Asian qualifiers.

“I have told the PTF president Waseem sahib that I will need events instead of foreign training as that will make me mature and prepare for tough assignments,” Haroon said.

PTF president Col Mohammad Waseem told ‘The News’ from Rawalpindi that they were planning to send Haroon and a few other fighters to Korea for a month-long training. “I am going to meet with the federal government sports officials tomorrow. We want to begin a camp for a bunch of talented fighters from January 6 in Islamabad,” he added.

So far, three shooters and one athlete have qualified for Tokyo 2020. Judoka Shah Hussain is expected to be among Pakistan’s contingent for Tokyo 2020 as he still holds the top seat in Asia. He has to only hold that position till the end of May.