Four youngsters to represent Pakistan at Youth Olympics

KARACHI: Four youngsters are to represent Pakistan in different sports in Youth Olympic Games that are scheduled from October 6-18 at Buenos Aires.

Farhan Amjad will compete in weightlifting, Inayatullah in wrestling, and Nubaira Babur in shooting. Aqib Sherazi, a baseball player, has been selected by International Olympic Committee (IOC) to represent Pakistan as Young Change Maker (Youth Ambassador) for the games. Three officials will accompany these players.

It is pertinent to mention here these young players participated in various cadet and youth international competitions during 2016 and 2017.Based on their performances, the IOC’s Organising Committee in consultation with international federations confirmed the participation of Pakistan through universality places in shooting, weightlifting and wrestling.

Three sportspersons who achieved the minimum qualification standard for Youth Olympics were then nominated by their federations. Meanwhile, a meeting was held the other day at Olympic House, Lahore, to discuss the participation of Pakistani athletes in these games.

The meeting was attended by Treasurer Pakistan Olympics Association Muhammad Shafique, Deputy Director General (Technical) Pakistan Sports Board Azam Dar, and POA’s Muhammad Jahangir.

Pakistan Weightlifting Federation’s secretary general Amjad Amin Butt, Pakistan Wrestling Federation’s secretary general Arshad Sattar, and Pakistan Federation of Baseball’s honorary secretary Sheikh Mazhar Ahmed were also present in the meeting.

The meeting was told that national training camps have already been established in Lahore and Karachi for effective preparation. The participants of the meeting were informed that the board and lodging and travelling expenses of the contingent will be borne by the IOC’s Organising Committee.

The contingent will proceed on October 2 by Qatar Airways to Argentina. The contingent will return from Buenos Aires on October 19 and reach Lahore on the 21st. Pakistan Sports Board will provide uniforms and DA to the contingent.