PWF finalises squads for two international wrestling events

LAHORE: Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) on Saturday finalised a seven-member squad for the Asian Senior Wrestling Championship and three-member squad for the Asian Qualifying Round for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Asian Qualifier three-member squad may be inflated depending on the performance of the national grapplers in the Asian Championship.

Both the events will be held in Kyrgyzstan. The Asian Senior Wrestling Championship will be conducted from April 11-16 while the Asian Olympic Qualifier will be held from April 19-21.

The squad for the Asian Championship includes Mohammad Bilal (57 kg), Abdullah (65kg), Asadullah (74kg), Sharif Tahir (79 kg), Haider Ali (86 kg), Mohammad Inam Butt (97 kg) and Zaman Anwar (125 kg).

A senior official of the Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) Arshad Sattar told The News that Mohammad Bilal, Abdullah and Mohammad Inam Butt are confirmed for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers and this squad could be inflated depending on the performance of the others in the Asian Championship being held just before the Asian Olympic Qualifiers.

The PWF also plans to send the three Olympic Qualifiers-bound grapplers to Bishkek ten days before the Asian Championship.

“We have applied for three wrestlers and if we get assistance from there then we may send three wrestlers (Qualifiers-bound) to Bishkek for ten days training before the Asian Championship,” Arshad said.

“After the Asian Qualifying round the wrestlers will come back and will go straight to the camp to prepare for the World Qualifying round,” Arshad said.

“In our country mostly there is mud wrestling. When wrestlers go to their homes they train on mud and so we find very little time for training on mat,” Arshad said.

“We are hopeful for the best results. In the Asian Games too Bilal and Zaman Anwar were very close to medal. There is a chance and we hope for the best and I hope medal may also come and we can also qualify for the Olympics,” Arshad hoped.

Mohammad Usman Shahid will accompany the squad as coach while referee Niamatullah will also proceed with the team.

Rookie wrestler Abdullah will make his debut at the senior level. Abdullah, who belongs to Gujranwala, is a 10th class student and Hafiz-e-Quran and has already represented Pakistan in the Asian Cadet Championship.

“Abdullah is very good and today he has performed very well. He had become national champion in 2022 when he was reading at the 8th class.