Nooh fails in super heavyweight

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Nooh Dastagir Butt on Tuesday failed to live up to the billing in the super heavyweight competitions of the Asian Junior Weightlifting Championship in Tokyo.

Nooh, who won silver in the Commonwealth Championship in Malaysia last month, recorded 361 kilogramme in the 105 plus kilogramme slots to finish fourth. Nooh’s aggregate total was 361kg, 160 in snatch and 201 in clean and jerk.

In the Commonwealth Championship, Nooh lifted 163 in snatch but this time he failed to meet even his best effort.

In the commonwealth event he had registered 206kg in clean and jerk but in Tokyo he lagged behind his best work.

Nooh tried to lift 209kg in clean and jerk but failed twice. “It was not Nooh’s day. He was unlucky not to finish at the victory podium,” Pakistan Weightlifting Federation’s (PWF) vice president Rashid Malik told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

However, he was quick to add that he was the first Pakistani weightlifter to fight for a medal in this event. “Iran and Japan have been strong. Weightlifting is the national game of Iran. Iran has resources. It sent its weightlifters to Tokyo two weeks before the start of the competitions,” Malik said.

“The Japanese had the home advantage. They were very fresh as they had come from their homes besides having taken good diet,” Malik said.

He was, however, satisfied with the overall performance of Pakistan. “Talha got four medals in the 62kg in the Asian Youth Championship and Nooh played with tough players for medal in the Asian Junior event,” Malik added.

The Iranian player who won gold in the super heavyweight lifted 379kg (165+214).

The Japanese who claimed silver recorded 373kg (165+208).  The bronze medal also went to a Japanese weightlifter who scored 372kg (170+202).

Pakistan also fielded 16-year-old Farhan Amjad in the Asian Youth Championship in the 77kg. He ended at the rock bottom in Group B. Pakistan will return on Wednesday (today).