Egypt’s Hedaya Malak wins country’s first Tokyo Olympics medal – Middle East Monitor

Egypt’s Hedaya Malak has received her nation’s first medal at this yr’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, within the ladies’s 67kg taekwondo occasion, incomes a bronze after defeating Paige McPherson of the US 17-6.

Malak additionally made historical past for being the primary Egyptian girl to hold the nation’s flag on the opening ceremony of the Games.

She can also be the primary Egyptian feminine athlete to win two medals in two consecutive Olympics, having taken bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, changing into the primary girl of her nation to win a medal in taekwondo on the Olympic Games.

The 28-year-old set herself as much as attend the Games in February after popping out on high of a qualification match in Rabat, Morocco. Her marketing campaign at Tokyo began with a 11-9 victory over Nigora Tursunkulova of Uzbekistan within the spherical of 16, earlier than being defeated 13-12 by Britain’s Lauren Williams within the quarter-finals.

READ: Morocco Olympic boxer disqualified after attempting to bite opponent’s ear

Malak moved up from the beneath 57kg class from the final Games and her Mexican coach Salazar Blanco was quoted by BBC Sport as saying: “It was very exhausting for her preventing at -57kg. It was not good for her to be at all times weight-reduction plan, it isn’t protected”

“So it wasn’t exhausting to maneuver to -67kg; she simply stopped the food plan. But we needed to construct muscle to withstand the kicks and we needed to work exhausting on distance due to the taller athletes,” within the 67kg class.

“She needed to begin from the start, get all of the factors once more and transfer up the rankings. But she would not have something to show.”

“She had Covid in November and she or he remains to be not 100%. She has been very, very drained. For her the postponement was very robust. Every day, yearly it’s tougher, she is 28. She has a household.”

Her compatriot Said Eissa, 23, additionally took an Olympic bronze medal after he defeated Norway’s Andre Ordemann 12-4 within the males’s 80kg class elevating the nation’s tally of 4 medals for the game within the historical past of the Olympics, with Tamer Bayoumi successful a bronze on the 2004 Games in Athens.

READ: Jordan gets second ever Olympic medal with silver in taekwondo

Recommended For You

About the Author: Adrian

Leave a Reply