Pakistan’s athletes, boxers continue sorry run in Hangzhou

LAHORE: It was another disappointing day for Pakistan in a number of sporting disciplines with the country having failed to impress in badminton, athletics and boxing in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou on Tuesday.

Badminton: Pakistani shuttlers were exited at the round of 32 without showing any resistance against their rivals in the men’s and women’s singles.

In the men's singles round of 32, Pakistan’s top player Murad Ali was beaten by China’s Li Shifeng 2-0 with the set score being 21-11, 21-11. Meanwhile in the other show of the men’s round of 32 Hafiz Irfan Saeed Bhatti went down to Japan’s Kodai Naraoka 2-0 with the set score being 21-6, 21-15.

In the women’s singles round of 32 Olympian Mahoor Shehzad also failed to impress when she was whacked by Vietnam’s Linh Thuy Nguyen 2-0 with the game score being 21-7, 21-10.

In the women’s doubles round of 32, Pakistani pair of Ghazala Siddiq and Mahoor Shehzad went down to Thailand’s pair of Jongkolphan and Rawinda 21-5, 21-7.

Athletics: At the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in the women’s 800m Pakistan’s Rabeela Farooq was disqualified under technical rule 17.3.1 which relates to the lane infringement.

In the men’s triple jump final, Pakistan’s Mohammad Afzal finished at the 11th spot out of 13 competing athletes in the event with a jump of 15.10metre.

Boxing: Pakistan’s sole boxing hope Zohaib Rasheed was also shown the exit door when he was beaten by Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov 5-0 in the men’s 46-51kg quarter-finals at the Hangzhou Gymnasium.

This also fell curtain on Pakistan’s boxing journey in the Asian Games which again remained unimpressive.

Zohaib, who is also the Asian bronze medallist, had taken a fine start last week when he downed UAE’s Sultan Alnuaimi 5-0 in the pre-quarter-finals.

Zohaib, who also has to his credit Asian Under-22 bronze medal, had got bye in the first round.

The other three Pakistani boxers including Mohammad Qasim, Ibrahim and Fatima Zehra had already been eliminated.

Weightlifting: Pakistani weightlifter Furqan Anwar lifted 299kg to finish at Group B summit. It means he will finish overall at the tenth spot. He managed 133 kg in snatch and 166kg in clean and jerk.