Abdel Rahman Al Masatfa has won Jordan’s third ever Olympic medal after narrowly losing the semi-final of the karate kumite 67kg competition against Eray Samdan of Turkey to claim bronze at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo.
At just 2-0 it was the lowest scoring competition for either karateka throughout the day, as both fighters were tentative from the start.
Eventually, after some encouragement from the referee, the two engaged, the first point being awarded over half way through the three minutes of the fight. Samdan attacked as As Al Masatfa lent back for a hook kick, he was taken down and struck by the Turk, the first Yuko.
With time running out, the 25-year-old from Amman went on the front foot, creating a tense final half. Both semi-finalists failed to land attacking and counter-attacking advances.
This was until, with just 20 seconds remaining, after a flurry of attacks, the Jordanian lent in to deliver a body kick, it was blocked, and in a flash Samdan landed a reverse punch to the face of Al Masatfa. One more Yuko, 2-0.
Al Masatfa fought on to the end, but could not land the vital blows to register a score. 2-0 it stayed.
The 2-0 win sent Samdan into the final against Frenchman Steven da Costa, who had beaten Kazakhstan’s Darkhan Assadilov 5-3 in the earlier semifinal.
Da Costa went on to win gold by beating Samdan 5-0 in the final.
Al-Masatfa and Assadilov were awarded their medals and a place on a podium without a bronze medal match that other Olympic competitions require.
Al Masatfa claimed the first ever Olympic bronze for Jordan, and the second medal of the games, adding to the silver won by Saleh Elsharabaty last week in taekwondo.
Jordan’s only previous medal was also in Taekwondo, when Ahmad Abu-Ghaush took the men’s 68kg title in Rio 2016.
