Malaika Noor, a rising 20-year-old Pakistani judoka, made history on Sunday at the Amman Asian Open Judo Championship 2025 by winning a silver medal in the women’s 52kg category. She became the first-ever Pakistani female athlete to clinch a silver medal at any Asian-level judo competition.
Malaika impressed in the semifinal, defeating host nation Jordan’s Raneem Aljazazi in under three minutes. Though she lost in the final bout, her silver medal marks a landmark moment for Pakistan’s judo history.
“This is only her second international competition, and she has shown remarkable improvement,” said Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) Secretary Masood Ahmed. “She represented Pakistan at the World Junior Judo Championship last year and has now proven herself at senior level.”
Malaika, originally from Lakki Marwat, trains at Peshawar’s Qayyum Stadium and represents Wapda in domestic events. The PJF leadership, including President Col. Junaid Alam, congratulated her for the historic feat and expressed confidence in her bright future.
Alongside Malaika, Pakistan sent five judokas to Amman. Noor Khan, 18, from Balochistan won his opening match with a full Ippon before losing to an experienced opponent from Burundi in the next round. Similarly, a 17-year-old from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also won his first fight but exited in the pre-quarterfinals. Muhammad Abbas Khalil, who has previously represented Pakistan in Korea, also fell short after a strong start in the -73kg category.
PJF officials highlighted that the Amman championship is crucial for giving Pakistani athletes exposure against Asia’s best. They stressed the need for long-term support, including training camps, to develop a strong pool of players capable of competing at global events.