Zakaria Eljamari makes it another successful day for UAE at IFMA Asian Muay Thai Championship

All five of host nation's fighters remain in contention after second day of competition in Abu Dhabi

UAE's Zakaria Eljamari, left, defeated Yu Xi Chen during the second day of the IFMA Asian Championship in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Zakaria Eljamari led another successful day for the UAE as three more of their fighters progressed to keep their 100 per cent record in the IFMA Asian Muay Thai Championship on day two in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Eljamari, 30, scored a unanimous points decision over Yu Xi Chen of Taipei in the 57kg division and booked his place in the quarter-finals.

Joining him in the round of eight were teammates Ahmad Bahman in 86kg and Noureddin Samir in 63.5kg after wins over Palestine Mohammed Al Khatib and Polash Chakma of Bangladesh respectively.

It meant that all five of the host nation’s fighters who were in action in the first two days remain in the race.

“It was another successful day for us and that’s all due to the work that has gone into preparing for this championship,” said Eljamari, a bronze medallist at the World Championship in Mexico in 2018.

Eljamari took his record over Chen to 2-0 after the two met at the Arafura Games 2019 in Australia in April.

“It was a strong fight because he wanted to extract revenge from the last meeting in Australia,” Eljamari, who took bronze at the Arafura Games, added.

“Tonight I did some smart work. I didn’t go hard at him or use power hitting. I played it smart by throwing punches, using my knees and kicks to score.

“It’s a good start for me and my teammates but tomorrow is another day we all have to start from scratch again.”

In the women’s event the spotlight was on Shabnam Hussain Zada of Afghanistan who defeated Tzu Ching Lin of Taipei to enter the semi-final. There she will meet Thailand’s Thanawan Thongduang who defeated Iranian Nastaran Soori also on points in the women’s 48kg weight.

Zada is now assured of a first continental championship medal win or lose and said it was a great feeling to achieve that feat.

“It’s not the first time an Afghan female has won an international medal in Muay Thai but for me it is indeed a great feeling to return home with a medal from the Asian Championship,” Zada said through a translator.

“Last year in Macau, I lost to the eventual gold medal winner from Thailand and I’m meeting another Thai opponent in the semi-finals. This time I have more experience.

“I’ll give my best once again and see if I can progress in the competition. I have been in Muay Thai for only three years and it has been a wonderful journey so far.

“We have 34 provinces in Afghanistan and Muay Thai is practiced in 22, and girls practice it in around three – Kabul, Balkh and Kunduz.

“Of course there are hardships for women to practice sports, particularly martial arts, but our federation is doing all they can to take the sport to more girls in the country. It’s a slow process but it’s getting better.”