PORTLAND (USA), Oct 28: Manita Shahi, the only participant from Nepal, clinched gold on Saturday as the US won the team championship title with five gold medals in the Ninth International Open Friendship Taekwondo Championship held in Portland, USA.
Shahi, who competed in the women´s U-62 kg category defeated local girl Doma 10-7 in the final. The 10th South Asian Games gold medalist Shahi and the quarterfinalist of the US Open Taekwondo Championship Doma were tied at 6 points each at the end of round two. But Shahi ensured gold in the third round scoring four points while Doma got only one point.
After winning gold, Shahi commented she felt a bit difficult to play in a new environment. She however, described her win over the US player as an achievement.
Canada, Oregon and host West Coast Taekwondo School jointly finished second with three golds each . Nepal and Everest Taekwondo Association of America took home one gold apiece.
Men´s 80 kg gold went to Durga Gurung of Everest Takewondo. Gurung, the former player of Nepal Army overcame Tod Respord of the US 6-1. Gurung led the first round 4-0 and continued his dominance in the second round with a 2-1 lead. None of the players were able to score points in the last round.
Nepali players also represented Qatar, the UAE, United States and Hong Kong but none of them could win gold. Raju Timalsina who represented Qatar in the men´s 54 kg section suffered 6-0 semifinal defeat at the hands of Reli Arnold. Choplal Banjade of the US was defeated by Tod Renspord of host West Coast. Amrit Bohara of the US lost to Canada´s Rudd Legaus.
Christina Nans of host West Coast claimed gold defeating a US player who competed for the national team in the welterweight category. Meanwhile, the only participant from Pakistan Masarur Jaman took home gold in height breaking front jump kick. Jaman leaped 10ft for that.
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