Death snatched another jewel from Pakistan’s sports when accomplished international athlete Nadia Nazir died in a car crash near Bahawalnagar last week, leaving the athletics community in shock.
The memories of young international footballer Shahlyla Baloch’s untimely death, also in a car crash in Karachi last year, were still fresh when national record holder and South Asian Games two-time relay bronze medallist also left this world at a young age.
Her five-year-old son Huzaifa also died in the accident which happened at night when they were returning home after attending a wedding ceremony.
Her husband Mudassir, who was driving the car, sustained critical injuries and is still in hospital in Lahore. As per information gathered by me, Huzaifa died on the spot while Nadia and Mudassir were administered first-aid at a local hospital before they were referred to Lahore. Nadia succumbed to injuries near Kasur.
Sources close to the family told me that Mudassir, who has received head injuries, does not know yet that his wife and son have died.
The 34-year-old Nadia was preparing for the National Athletics Championship which will be held in Karachi early next month. She was an athlete of high calibre, considering the standard of Pakistan’s athletics.
She was part of the bronze medalist 4X100m relay Pakistan team in 2006 Colombo and 2010 Dhaka South Asian Games. She was also a four-time national champion.
She was a sprinter fundamentally, but she developed herself as a fine 400m hurdler. She set a national record in that event in the 2007 National Games held in Karachi while representing WAPDA. Her timing was 61.08 seconds. The record is still intact.
This record earned for the Sahiwal-born Nadia a place in Pakistan team for the World Athletics Championships held in 2007 in Japan.
Nadia did not feature in the 2016 South Asian Games in India due to injury. She was in the last stage of her career and the National Championship in Karachi could have been her last appearance at the national level, sources close to her revealed.
She was also part of WAPDA’s 4X100m relay record-setting side.
She was in the camp of WAPDA in Islamabad for the national event. Olympian Rabia Ashiq, one of her fellow athletes, said that her luggage was still in her room. "She had gone to attend the wedding ceremony in Bahawalnagar and she had to come back," Rabia told ‘The News on Sunday’.
"She was not only a fine athlete but also a good human being. She has left us in shock. She will always be remembered," said Rabia, who was part of Pakistan contingent at the 2012 London Olympics.
Ask Nadia’s coach Mohammad Rafiq and he will tell you more about the deceased. "She was the funniest girl and would always keep the environment light. She will always be missed," Rafiq told TNS in a detailed chat.
"She joined WAPDA in 2002. I had joined as a coach around the same time. She first came to me. Her attitude was very good and we had no problem with her. She was a sprinter but I developed her as a hurdler as she had the potential. She proved herself when she set a national record in the same event nine years ago which is still intact," Rafiq said.
"She represented Pakistan for several years, but from 2006 to 2010 she produced solid performances and was in the best form of her career. She not only won national titles, but also won medals at international level during these years," Rafiq added.
Rafiq said that she had no retirement plans as yet. "She had no plans to retire. Karachi’s national championship could have been her last but she could have easily played in WAPDA’s Inter-Unit competitions for two or three years more," Rafiq said.
He said Pakistan had lost the services of a superb player who could have served the country as an athletics coach.
Unfortunately, WAPDA’s athletes could not attend Nadia’s funeral because they were in the camp in Islamabad.
Nadia had played with the likes of 2010 South Asian Games gold medallist and sprint queen Naseem Hameed and Olympian Sadaf Siddiqui.
Nadia will be missed in the National Championship in Karachi.
Rafiq said that they would observe one-minute silence during the event to pay tribute to Nadia, who rendered meritorious services for Pakistan and for WAPDA.
I personally suggest that the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) honour Nadia with an award in absentia during the national championship.
It would be a real tribute to the athlete. Those who serve the country never die. Nadia will always be remembered for her contribution to athletics.