Pakistani judoka Malaika Noor has made history by winning a silver medal at the Asian Open Judo Championship 2025, becoming the first woman from Pakistan to secure a medal at an Asian-level judo competition.
The 20-year-old competed in the minus 52kg category, where she showed remarkable strength and determination. Noor defeated opponents from three different countries on her way to the final, including an impressive semi-final victory over Jordan’s Raneem Aljazazi. In the gold medal match, she fought bravely but narrowly lost to her Saudi rival, finishing with a historic silver.
Col. Junaid Alam, President of the Pakistan Judo Federation, praised Noor’s achievement, calling it “a proud moment for Pakistan and women’s sports.”
Malaika Noor has already represented Pakistan on big stages, including the World Junior Judo Championship in Dushanbe last year. Her consistent performances at national and international levels have made her one of Pakistan’s most promising judokas, raising hopes for future success on the global stage.
Other Pakistani judokas also competed in Amman and delivered encouraging performances. Noor Khan (60kg), representing Balochistan and Pakistan Navy, defeated Jordan’s Mohammad Almashaqbeh before losing to Burundi’s Raoul Brillant Nganji. Muhammad Abbas Khalil (73kg) outclassed Jordan’s Khader Alwraikat but was later beaten by Lebanon’s Ghady Moussa.
A 17-year-old debutant from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also impressed in his first international event by defeating Jordan’s Mohammad Almseden before falling to Bahrain’s R. Poltoratskii.
Although they missed out on medals, the strong performances of these athletes highlighted Pakistan’s growing presence in international judo.
