Athletes to be picked through trials

KARACHI: In a bid to pick athletes for the Asian Games camp, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) is mulling holding trials on May 13 in Islamabad.

A senior official of the AFP said the trials would be conducted in most of the events.

“We plan to hold trials in most of the events,” AFP chief Major Gen (r) Akram Sahi told ‘The News’ on Monday.

The AFP has also sent names of the probable athletes and officials to the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) for the quadrennial event to be held in Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2. However it is not yet confirmed how many athletes will be representing Pakistan in the Asiad.

It depends on how much quota the AFP gets from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and POA.Barring a few decades after independence in which national athletes showed their presence in athletics at the Asian level, competitions at the continental level have always been a tough task for national athletes.

The AFP hopes it can create some chances in the men’s javelin throw, men’s 400m and men’s 4x400m relay.“Our javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and some athletes in the 400m and particularly in 4x400m relay would be our strong points in the Asian Games,” said Sahi, also a former international athlete.

Arshad recorded a throw of his life by inking 80.45m in the qualification phase of the Commonwealth Games in Australia last month.Arshad injured his back muscle in the first round at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast.

“Arshad is no doubt a potentially glorious athlete. I will meet him in few days and will check how he feels now and will then plan to prepare him properly for the Asian Games. If he still has any injury issue we will treat it,” Sahi said.

Olympian Mehboob Ali and his brother Nokar Hussain would be in the spotlight in the 400m, 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay. Pakistan had claimed gold in the 4x400m relay in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat last year.

Earlier the same year, Pakistan clinched silver in the 4x400m relay in the Islamic Games in Baku. Sahi on Monday conveyed to the Army Chief his message through the Army Sports Directorate that it would be useful if a foreign coach was hired for the relay team, the members of which are from Army.

Sahi was quick to add that efforts would also be made to send a few youngsters to Indonesia for exposure.“Competing at a big platform will build their confidence which will help them in future,” the AFP chief said.

Meanwhile, javelin thrower Arshad said he would be able to recover in 10 days. “Now I don’t feel pain when I walk. I hope I will overcome the injury in 10 days,” Arshad told this correspondent from Mian Channu.

He said the Asian Games was his next target. “Had I not received injury in Australia I could have fought for a medal. Still I am determined to do something stunning for my country,” said Arshad, who plays for Wapda.