Afghan wushu athlete Mohammad Khalid Hotak advanced to the next round of the 70-kilogram competition at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, after defeating a Yemeni opponent, Ariana News reported on September 21.
Hotak won his opening bout and is scheduled to face an Indonesian athlete in his second contest on Tuesday. The result gives Afghanistan an early positive result in the wushu competition at the continental Games.
Afghanistan has sent a seven-member wushu team to the Asian Games. Ariana News reported that the country is represented overall by 34 athletes competing across eight sports at the event in Nagoya.
Hotak is among the Afghan athletes whose performances are being closely followed because combat sports have traditionally been one of Afghanistan’s stronger areas in international multi-sport competition.
The Asian Games are being staged in Nagoya and are scheduled to continue through October 4. Hotak’s progress beyond the next round will depend on the outcome of his scheduled bout against the Indonesian competitor.