KARACHI: WAPDA were crowned men’s karate champions while Army lifted the women’s trophy during the 34th National Games in Quetta on Saturday. In the men’s event, WAPDA finished at the summit with five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.
Army ended as runners-up with four gold, four silver and two bronze while Balochistan, with one gold, one silver and four bronze, wrapped up their journey at the third spot. Then followed Punjab (0-1-3), KP (0-0-4), HEC (0-1-2), Islamabad (0-0-1), Sindh (0-0-1) and Railways (0-1-0).
Army emerged as champions of the women’s event with five gold, two silver and two bronze. WAPDA finished as runners-up with four gold, two silver and two bronze. Then followed Balochistan (0-3-3), Railways (0-1-2), Sindh (0-1-1), HEC (0-0-5) and Punjab (0-0-3).
On Saturday the competitions in team kumite were held in both sections. In the men’s section team kumite, WAPDA, carrying Muhammad Awais, Ajab Khan, Naseer Ahmed, Ahtisham, Abdul Aziz, Asmatullah and Ainudin, claimed gold. Army, featuring Farhan Rasheed, Hamayun, Rehmatullah, Mubarak Ali, Muhammad Asim, Ayaz and Shamas Iftikhar, clinched silver medal.
Balochistan, carrying Taj Rehan, Muhammad Haroon, Farrukh, Mehmood Khan, Naqeeb Ullah, Shamsullah and Abdul Azim; and HEC, featuring Mehrab Younas, Haroon Sarwar But, Muhammad Abdullah, Talha Imtiaz, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Husnain Jamil and Haris Nadeem, claimed bronze medals.
In the women’s team kumite, WAPDA, featuring Laiba Zia, Fakhrunisa, Mehrunisa and Naz Gul, secured gold; Railways, carrying Naz Dana, Suraya and Naz Bano, claimed silver medal. The bronze medals went to Army, carrying Arzoo, Ma Gul, Sabira and Fareeda, and Sindh, featuring Areesha Nadeem, Maroosha Williams, Laraib Kamran, Alishba Wajiha.
Balochistan Sports Secretary Ishaq Jamali handed over trophies to the winning teams. Also present was the chairman of Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) Mohammad Jehangir.
Wrestling: The country’s leading wrestlers Mohammad Inam and Zaman Anwar and Punjab’s Mohammad Abdullah on Saturday won gold medals in their respective weight categories in the 34th National Games wrestling competitions in Quetta.
Inam, the country’s most seasoned grappler and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, downed Railways’ Haider Ali in the final of the 92kg to snare gold for WAPDA. Inam, earlier, downed Shoaib Butt of HEC and Talha Bilal of Army to qualify for the final.
Talha Bilal of Army and Marjan Khan of KP got bronze.
WAPDA’s Zaman Anwar, also Rustam-e-Pakistan, defeated Mohammad Awais of Army in the 125kg final to secure gold. Earlier, Zaman downed KP’s Hamad Aziz and Balochistan’s Sardar Ali in two successive fights to reach the final.
Ismail Khan of HEC and Shamar Tahir of Railways won bronze.
In the 65kg, Mohammad Abdullah of Punjab whacked Mohammad Qurban of Railways in the final to clinch gold for his province. Ibrahim Masih of HEC and Rozi Khan of KP clinched bronze.
The competitions in four more weight categories will be held on Sunday (today) with which the wrestling event will end. Sailing: Navy on Saturday lifted the 34th National Games sailing competitions trophy here at the PAF Yacht Club.
Navy finished at the summit with nine gold and two bronze medals in the event in which tough tussle was seen during the entire week for top honours. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) wrapped up their journey at the second spot with two gold, four silver and two bronze.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with two gold, four silver and two bronze, finished third. Then followed Army (0-3-4), Sindh (0-1-2), Punjab (0-1-0) and Balochistan (0-0-1).
The medal ceremony will be held at 4:45pm on Sunday (today) at the National Sailing Centre. In the Laser Radial (ILCA-6 women) Navy got gold, KP picked silver while PAF claimed bronze.
In the Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4 Under-18 Open) PAF got gold, KP clinched silver and Navy picked bronze. In the Optimist Class Under-15 Open KP got gold, Army clinched silver while PAF claimed bronze. In the Optimist Under-15 girls KP got gold, PAF took silver and Navy claimed bronze. In the Optimist Under-15 Mixed PAF got gold, Army took silver and KP claimed bronze.