PCKF organises various events, camps

KARACHI: Pakistan Canoe and Kayak Federation (PCKF) organised various national and provincial flatwater sprint canoe kayak championships and training camps throughout 2023 and up to June 31st this year.

These events took place at Balochistan’s first and only Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rowing Olympic Sports International Academy – the HDWSA -- and its sprawling ranch at Hanna Lake, Quetta.

The events were held in collaboration with the HDWSA and Balochistan Canoeing Association, adhering to International Canoe Federation (ICF) rules. “The championships were a significant part of the 2023-24 canoeing events, aiming to develop and encourage canoe and kayak Olympic sports in Pakistan,” said Hayatullah Khan Durrani, Secretary PCKF, while talking to The News. The activities included Balochistan Games Sprint Canoeing Championship in March 2023; the 34th National Games Sprint Canoeing Championship in June 2023; the Governor Balochistan National Canoeing Trophy Sprint Championship in August 2023; and National Sprint Canoe Kayak Championship in March 2024.

Also, a number of training camps were organised during the period which included international and national canoeing training camps in July, August, and September 2023; national coaching course and training camp in August 2023; provincial training camps and championships in September 2023; national coaching/umpiring courses in November/December 2023; national/provincial sprint canoe kayak winter training camps in January/February 2024; national summer training camp in March 2024; national coaching course in May 2024; and national training camps in May/June 2024.

The athletes of Balochistan showed exceptional performance in those national events as M Abubakar Durrani of Pakistan Customs, Quetta, won three gold medals in the Sprint Canoeing Championship at the 34th National Games in Quetta.

He secured gold medals in different events aggregately K-1 (200M), K-2 (200M), and K-2 (200M/Mixed) and was declared the best Kayaking athlete of the National Games in which 70 canoe paddlers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Biltistan, Sindh, and Balochistan participated. “This was the first time in the history of the National Games of Pakistan that canoeing sprint events were included in the games,” said Hayatullah.