Yasir sees South Korea event as a lifetime opportunity

LAHORE: Pakistan’s No2 javelin thrower Mohammad Yasir Sultan considers his June Olympics qualification event in South Korea a lifetime opportunity and says that he is fully focused to avail this chance which will be a do-or-die battle for him. “Yes, it’s a lifetime opportunity and I am fully focused and inshaAllah will manage 85m plus throw to make it to the Paris Olympics,” Yasir told ‘The News’ in an interview here on Monday.

Yasir, who shot to fame with the Asian Championship bronze last year, will press for the Olympics seat in an event in South Korea in mid-June. With the senior officials of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) completely unresponsive despite calls from this correspondent for the last few days it has been learnt that Yasir is set to feature in June event.

This event can change his career as an athlete if he achieves the qualifying standard of 85.5m. It may also help him onward to compete for a medal in the Olympics if he qualifies. This correspondent on Monday saw his complete training session here at the Punjab Stadium. He was seen in top shape and mentally he was also upbeat to achieve his goal.

He managed around 45 throws, both at the standing position and with full run-ups and result was amazing. He seems to be a real threat for those javelin throwers who compete at the world level.

Yasir’s run-up and his footwork were terrific. He is expected to bring more rhythm in his throws as he still has enough time at his disposal. According to sources, AFP plans to field both Arshad Nadeem and Yasir in an event in China at the end of June.

His coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari, who guided Arshad to the fifth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics, will accompany Yasir during the South Korea event. “Training is going well and several things have been improved. It would have been well had I got a competition before this event. But still it’s good to get a chance,” Yasir said.

Asked about his feelings Yasir said he would inshaAllah achieve his 85.5 metre goal. “I will give my hundred percent inshaAllah,” Yasir said. His coach Fayyaz Bukhari was also upbeat about Yasir’s chances.

“Yes, he is growing well and inshaAllah will manage the desired throw,” Bukhari told this correspondent. “We have one and a half month and I am trying to train him well,” Bukhari told ‘The News’ on the sidelines of the training session. “Feelings come in competition and today you saw he was throwing well and if he manages his throws with good feelings then I hope he will be able to achieve his goal,” Bukhari said.