Shah Hussain hopes to win medal in Asian Games

KARACHI: The forthcoming Asian Games would be much tougher for Pakistan as the nation will have very few medal chances. Judo is one of the disciplines in which Pakistan can create some chance.

And there is no one else but Japan-based Olympian Shah Hussain who can pull off a medal. Shah, who had finished fifth in the -100kg competitions in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, also sees some chance for himself in the Asian Games slated to be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 1.

“Yes, this time I see a medal chance for myself,” Shah told ‘The News’ in an interview from his hometown Tokyo on Friday. “You know in the Asian Games there are some strong nations like Japan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Mongolia and Korea. And for grabbing medal I will have to beat at least one strong opponent. But what I feel is that I can do that if training went well,” Shah said.

Shah, who created history to become the first Pakistani judoka to play in Rio Olympics in 2016, is currently undergoing training in Japan. After clinching gold in the recently concluded South Asian Championship in Nepal, Shah has turned himself extra serious about the Asian Games.

“Asian Games is my target and I am very serious. I regularly undergo training at the Tokyo Police station and also train in the night in the university. I am now thinking to keep training in any university in the night due to Ramadan,” said Shah. Shah shot to fame when he finished with a silver medal in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. However he did not get chance in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games as judo was not part of the quadrennial competitions held last month.

“Had judo been there in Gold Coast he certainly would have lifted gold this time,” Shah said. Before fielding in the South Asian Championship in Nepal Shah underwent training in Hungary and he says this has benefitted him more. “Yes it was productive training stint in Hungary. I learnt European judo and now I know that there is no much difference between our style and that of Europe. But the only difference is that they are mentally more tougher and so win major events,” he said.

“What I will need is consistent training. If you train consistently it will instil a confidence in you and this is something which will boost your mental level. This is what I need,” Shah said.When asked whether he would like to get another foreign training tour ahead of the Asian Games Shah said: “Not at this stage. It would be much better if I keep training in Japan as I am getting good training here.”

Although it is not yet known what will be the fate of Pakistan’s judokas as the relations between Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) are not cordial. But there is enough chance that this thing will not affect the participation of national judokas in Asian Games.

The PJF has already sent POA a list of its cream for the Asian Games. The POA had not asked PJF for the list. After the Asian Games Shah’s major target will be to feature in the 2020 Olympic qualifiers and the son of former Pakistan’s Olympic medalist boxer Hussain Shah is very confident to not only qualify but to win medal this time.

“I will have to keep consistent training till the 2020 Olympics which will be held in our own town Tokyo. This time I am confident to win a medal and write a history,” said Shah, whose father Hussain Shah won bronze for Pakistan in boxing in 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Shah is lucky to have got a judo environment in Tokyo which is brimming with world and Olympic champions. And he has the experience of not only undergoing training with world’s top fighters in Japan but also around the world. “I have played with almost all world and Olympic champions. In training sometimes I beat them and sometimes they beat me. This is why I have learnt a lot and am progressing,” Shah informed.

Pakistan recently finished second after India in the South Asian Championship in Nepal and Shah said that there was no difference between India and Pakistan.

“Three years ago India was much improved than Pakistan but that gap has almost been bridged. Although India came first in South Asian Championship but in reality there was no much difference between the standard of both the nations. I congratulate PJF for the way it is working hard and at least has been able to boost Pakistan’s standard in judo in South Asia. If it keeps developing the sport like this one day Pakistan will also be able to carve a prestigious niche for itself in Asian circuit,” Shah conceded.

About chances of Pakistan’s highly talented youngster Qaiser Khan Afridi in the Asian Games Shah said that Afridi had the guts but it depends on him how he prepares himself for the quadrennial event.“He is a gutsy fighter but I don’t know how he trains and prepares himself for the Asian Games,” Shah said.Besides routine practice Shah aims to also begin running and gym in the next few days.