By OCA Young Reporter Hana Aldayyat
Nagoya, Japan, October 3, 2026: Jordan’s Fadia Khirfan captured the Asian Games gold medal on Saturday, defeating China’s Zhang Chuling in the women’s -57kg final at Toyohashi Gymnasium.
In a tightly contested championship match, Khirfan secured a 2–1 victory by points. She took the opening round 2–0 before Zhang fought back to claim the second round 4–2. Khirfan then delivered a strong performance in the deciding third round, scoring six points to Zhang’s three to claim gold and leave the Chinese athlete with the silver medal. Thailand’s Natkamon Wassana claimed the bronze medal after reaching the semi-finals.
Khirfan shared that entering the arena against a familiar rival fueled her determination to win.
"It was a very tough bout. My opponent had beaten me previously, and I entered the arena with a ‘do or die’ mindset. I felt I absolutely had to win, to secure this major title," Khirfan said.
Reflecting on the achievement, the newly crowned champion dedicated the medal to her supporters at home.
"First of all, I want to thank everyone involved. I’d like to dedicate this achievement to all of Jordan and the entire Arab world," she said. "I dedicate my achievement to my father as he was my primary supporter. I also dedicate it to my mother and my entire family. This is a major achievement, and hopefully, there are more to come."
The victory adds another title to Jordan's taekwondo tally at the 20th Asian Games.