Dina Mustafa becomes first Saudi female Asian Games medalist

In a historic moment at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Saudi Arabia's Dina Mustafi achieved a significant milestone as she became the first female Saudi athlete to win a medal in the competition's history. Mustafi secured a bronze in the women's 68kg karate category after triumphing in a dramatic third-place playoff against Nepal's Arika Gurung.

Overcoming a 3-0 deficit, the Saudi athlete emerged victorious with an 8-7 scoreline, marking a proud moment for her country. Saudi Press Agency reported that this bronze was Saudi Arabia's first medal won by a female athlete at the Asian Games. Following Mustafi's achievement, her teammate Saud Al-Bashir added another bronze to the nation's tally, finishing third in the men's 60kg category.

Al-Bashir claimed the bronze after defeating Nepal's Tamang 2-0 in the bronze-medal bout. Earlier, Al-Bashir had progressed by defeating Thailand's Siwakon Mueakthong on advantage following a 5-5 draw. He then suffered an 11-8 defeat to Kuwait's Abdullah Shaaban before responding with a 10-2 victory over Kyrgyzstan's Kalykov to reach the medal contest.

The two wins by Mustafi and Bashir collectively brought Saudi Arabia its first two medals at the ongoing games in Aichi-Nagoya. Currently, 144 Saudi athletes are competing at the Asian Games 2026, with the nation eagerly awaiting its first gold medal.