Abbas had to be treated immediately for his knee injury after the event ended; he tore a knee ligament. But that is not what is upsetting him. “I was dreaming of this moment for 12 years,” said Abbas. “I had prepared a lot, I think I’ve been playing the best I ever had but I twisted my right foot during my quarter-final match and I knew it was bad at the moment, but I sprayed the knee and went back. I just didn’t want to miss this, but who knew that all that pain would lead me nowhere. It is unfair.” Abbas defeated the Malaysian karateka 10-5, but lost in the semi-final to Saudi Arabia’s Raef Adel Turkistani 4-2 and went on to play for the bronze medal. On the other hand, former South Asian karate champion Kulsoom Hazara also lost in the quarter-final. Last week, Nargis became the first Pakistani to win a karate medal at the Asian Games, and Abbas believes that it was a breakthrough event for him.
Published in Daily Times, August 28th 2018.
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