Boxer Fatima Zahra made history for Pakistan at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh by confirming the country’s first medal after a commanding performance in the Women’s 60kg quarterfinal on Thursday night.
The 21-year-old showcased remarkable skill and composure, defeating Algeria’s Hamda Melissa with a clean 5-0 scoreline to advance to Saturday’s semifinals. Her victory ensures at least a bronze medal for Pakistan at the multi-nation event.
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Zahra dominated all three rounds of the bout, earning perfect 10s from all five judges in the first and third rounds, and narrowly missing a clean sweep in the second round. Her performance drew praise from fans and officials alike, who hailed her as one of the rising stars of Pakistani boxing.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Maria Rind and Laura Djida Akram faced tough competition, losing their respective bouts to Turkiye’s Rabia Topuz and an Uzbek opponent. On the men’s side, Qudrat Ullah is set to begin his campaign in the 55kg quarterfinal on Saturday against Palestine’s Yousif Hassa Othman.
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Pakistan has sent a 53-member contingent to compete across various sports at the Games, being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 7 to 21. Zahra’s win has already lifted team morale and sparked hopes for more podium finishes in the coming days.