Shah says he has learnt from Olympics, targets Tokyo Games

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top judoka Shah Hussain on Thursday said that he had realised how difficult it was to play in Olympics.

“By featuring in Olympics I knew how much preparation one needs to play at the biggest stage. It’s too tough,” Shah told ‘The News’ in an interview from Tokyo on Thursday.

After getting bye in the first round of the minus 100 kilogramme judo competitions, Shah crashed out when he was defeated by Bloshenko Artem of Ukraine in the elimination round of 32 in only one minute and 38 seconds.

“I felt that I lacked the sort of training which was needed for the event. But it helped me a lot as I realised my flaws and I will try to remove them,” the 23-year-old player said.

Shah qualified for Rio Games on the basis of the continental quota. He passed through a two-year qualifying phase before getting place in the world’s most prestigious event. Shah is the first Pakistani judoka to have taken part in Olympics.

His father Hussain Shah, who trains boxers in Tokyo, is the only Pakistani boxer to have won a bronze medal at the Olympics — in the 1988 Seoul Games.

Shah said that those who go up the ladder in Olympics prepare differently. “The top level players who play in Olympics have different style of training. Artem of Ukraine against whom I played in Rio was a tough player. I could control him through a proper judo style but when he knew my strength he switched to the wrestling style judo. I now know how to prepare,” the player said.

He said he would have to prepare much better for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “I will need tough training. Pakistan’s government will have to support me. I have been utilising the facilities of the Tsukuba University where I was studying, but now that I have got a degree in Physical Education and Sociology from the university I will no longer be able to use those facilities. I will have to switch over to a judo training centre where I will have to pay for my training and coaching. And it will not be easy for my family and for me to meet all the expenses,” Shah said.

He was quick to add that he was confident that he would win a medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics if Pakistan’s government backed him properly.

“I feel that I am good when I play in Japan or with the players who play Japan-style judo. But when I meet any player from central Asia or Europe I feel problem. It will be much better if I am sent to Russia for training as it will help me improve my speed,” Shah said.

To a query Shah said that Qaiser Khan of Pakistan could turn out to be a much better player in future.

“Qaiser has the potential. He is young and gutsy and what he needs is proper training and grooming. I predict he can qualify for Tokyo Olympics,” Shah said.

He thanked Pakistan’s Olympic officials for encouraging him during Olympics. Shah said that he might start training for future events in the coming few days.

After Shah’s fall in Rio, an official of Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) told this correspondent that the federation would try to prepare Shah and a couple of other judokas for 2020 Olympics.