Bangladesh’s Fatema Akter and Mohammad Mannan were eliminated in the second round of surfing at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan on Sunday.
Competition resumed in the morning after adverse weather and unfavourable waves forced the previous day’s events to be suspended.
According to Bangladesh surfing team official Md Saifullah Sifat, organisers resumed competition after waves returned.
The women’s second round began at 7:00 am, with Fatema competing against a South Korean surfer in the eighth heat.
Fatema made a strong start and led for around 10 minutes. However, the South Korean competitor later took advantage of several excellent waves to move ahead. Fatema could not close the gap and was eliminated in the second round.
The men’s second round began at around 9:30 am. Mannan competed against a Thai surfer in the third heat.
Mannan surfed strongly from the beginning and maintained the lead for around 22 to 23 minutes. However, he could not capitalise on the waves available from his position during the final two minutes, while his Thai opponent used better waves from another position to move ahead.
Sifat said several athletes and officials from other countries praised Mannan’s performance and considered his late elimination unfortunate.
With both Bangladeshi surfers eliminated in the second round, the country’s surfing campaign at the 2026 Asian Games has ended.
Sifat said Bangladesh’s surfers have potential on the international stage and that plans are being considered for broader preparations and participation ahead of the next Asian Games.
The quarter-finals and subsequent rounds are scheduled to continue on Monday, subject to sea and weather conditions.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
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