Bashir upbeat for Rio Olympics

KARACHI: Pakistan’s record-holding shooter Ghulam Mustafa Bashir has said he is ready to prove his mettle at Rio Olympics.

Known as G M Bashir, Navy’s pistol shooter has got a Tripartite Commission Invitation Place to represent Pakistan in 25m rapid fire pistol category at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“I am very happy with the training I am getting from a foreign coach from Belarus. I am sure if this training is continued I will perform well at the Games,” Bashir told ‘The News’.

The 29-year-old scored 578 points in rapid fire pistol in a world cup at Gabala last year to achieve the Minimum Qualifying Score (MQS) required for qualification for quota places in Rio.

“I play centre fire pistol as well but that is not an Olympic sport so my focus is completely on RFP,” said Bashir, who has been associated with Pakistan Navy for six years.

He termed this chance very important and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “I will give my best in Olympics as this is the biggest chance of my life. I am very happy. I am excited,” said Bashir.

Though he has not got enough international exposure — he played just four events in 2014-15 — he is banking on the international-level training he is getting from his Belarusian coach that Navy hired for him last year.

“The level of training is excellent. These days in Ramazan I train with my coach from 8-12 in the morning and practise alone in the evening,” said Bashir.

Navy hired Vladimir Kovalenko for training Bashir last year and extended his contract twice.

Kovalenko won many prizes in shooting competitions. As a coach, he worked with children’s sports school in Minsk region of the Republic of Belarus.

“I was in Qatar on deputation for a few months,” said Bashir. “I returned to Karachi on the 16th of this month. This break has freshened me up. Now I am doing my training with new zeal,” he added.

He praised his teacher Maqbool Tabassum, a shooter in RFP category from Navy. Maqbool recently won the award of best shooter in the National Shooting Championship.

Bashir’s favourite shooter is Ralf Schumann of Germany, who is a three-time Olympic champion and two-time world champion.