Shahzaib working hard for Asian Games

KARACHI: Pakistan’s destructive taekwondo fighter and the last year’s Asian Championships bronze medallist Shahzaib Khan on Wednesday said that he is working extremely hard in order to produce top results in the forthcoming Asian Games pencilled in for September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China.

“Yes I am working extremely hard in order to click in the Asian Games and finish at the victory podium. I will give my hundred percent inshaAllah,” Shahzaib told ‘The News’ in an interview from Islamabad.

This will be the second time that Shahzaib will be fielding in the Asian Games. In his debut Asian Games in Indonesia in 2018, Shahzaib fell to Enkhboldyn Buyanshagai of Mongolia in the round of 32.

Shahzaib, who plays in 54-58 kg weight category, made Pakistan proud when he clinched a bronze medal in the 2022 Asian Championships in South Korea and gave a message to the world that he is emerging as a tough fighter in international circuit.

“Yes, it was a much-needed medal and that boosted my confidence further,” said Shahzaib, who plays for Pakistan Air Force (PAF) at the domestic level. Shahzaib these days is in the national camp being held at Islamabad. He also eyes top performances in a handful of other international events before the Asian Games.

“My next targets are the World Championships in Baku to be held in May-June, the 2023 Roma World Taekwondo Grand-Prix (June 9-11) and the Paris World Taekwondo Grand-Prix (August 31-September 2),” the Quetta-born 22-year-old Shahzaib said.

“These events will help me learn further and boost my confidence ahead of the Asian Games,” he said. Having trained for 20 days in Iran last month, Shahzaib said it would be of high value if they got some more foreign training tours in the coming months.

“Foreign training is always crucial. We trained in Iran last month for 20 days. Russia and Uzbekistan are also major training destinations and if we train for 20 days each in these countries in coming months it will help us a lot in our preparation for the Asian Games,” Shahzaib said.

He plans to achieve success in major events and the 2024 Paris Olympics continental qualifying round is also on his radar. “My goals are big but I plan from event to event. After a flurry of events in international circuit this year the next year’s Olympics qualifiers are definitely in my plans. If I am able to prepare the way I want then I am confident I will be able to press for the Olympics seat via Asian Qualifiers to be held next year,” said Shahzaib, also the gold medallist of the 2019 Nepal South Asian Games.

In the Asian Qualifiers the top two in each weight category will make it to the Paris Olympics. Shahzaib also appreciated Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) for the way it is working for the betterment of the national fighters.

“I think the PTF is doing a good job and has kept us engaged in persistent training, provides us with foreign training opportunities,” Shahzaib said. He said that he will also be featuring in the 34th National Games. “Yes I will represent PAF in the National Games,” said Shahzaib who won gold in the 2019 National Games held in Peshawar. Taekwondo is the only discipline which has been able to not only hold regular camps but also ensure participation of Pakistan's top fighters in all important international events.