Podium finish on my mind — Abu Ghaush

AMMAN — Ahmad Abu Ghaush is about to embark on his quest for a missing medal from his growing collection by admitting that he is hungrier than ever for success, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The 2016 Olympic gold medallist is still only 22, but he is already regarded as Jordan’s greatest ever sportsman and will launch his 2018 competition year in earnest with a bid to land the Asian Taekwondo Championships gold medal in Vietnam next week.

“I haven’t won a medal at this event so I am travelling to Vietnam with a podium finish on my mind,” said Abu Ghaush from is training camp in Korea. The standard for the Asian event is as high as an Olympic or World Championships as many of the world’s top fighters come from the region.

It will also provide Abu Ghaush, and his teammates, with an ideal build up to the Grand Prix events getting under way this summer. “It will be very tough. I have fought most of them over the past two years so I know what to expect.

The team’s good performance will boost our Olympic ranking so every fight is important if we are to qualify more fighters to Tokyo 2020.” Asian Games in Indonesia in August as well as the Grand Prix series.

“My target is to keep fighting, reach the podium and move up on the World ranking,” said Abu Ghaush who is currently fourth in the -68kg category.