The Iranian national defeated her Tunisian rival in two consecutive rounds in the Sanshou event on Thursday. Karimi is scheduled to compete with Marian Mariano from the Philippines in the semifinal on Saturday August 23. Some 128 athletes from 43 countries and regions have participated in the event to compete for 15 gold medals. The four-day Beijing 2008 wushu Tournament kicked off at the Beijing Olympic Sports Center on Thursday. Zahra Karimi snatched the silver medal in the 9th World Wushu Championships in 2007.