BEIRUT, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 Beirut Open Taekwondo championships kicked off on Friday with athletes from home and abroad.
Participants from 21 countries and regions including Jordan, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Egypt and the United States are taking part in the big event to present the audience with their outstanding skills.
Beirut's Taekwondo tournament offers athletes the chance to build up their rankings points ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games which will feature 128 taekwondo fighters competing in eight weight categories.
Noel Moukheiber, head of the Taekwondo Fighters Academy in Lebanon, emphasized the importance of the tournament which gives chance to young players to gain experience on global stage while it enables senior players to score points for Olympic tickets.
Meanwhile, Qatar team coach Nabil Abdallah Ahmed said his team is taking part because the game's level is advanced and his players are keen to play along with international teams.
Lila Zaitoun, a taekwondo player from Egypt, has set the target to win gold at the tournament.
"I always win silver and bronze medals and this time I aim for the gold medal," she said.
The three-day event, which takes place at Nidal Nawfal Sports Complex in Zouk Mikael, will hold an official opening on Saturday in the presence of political, military, diplomatic and sports figures.
