Electronic timer installed for athletics c’ship

KARACHI: An electronic timer has been installed at Pakistan Sports Board’s () coaching centre here for the 48th National Athletic Championship, which is scheduled to held from April 7 to 9.

The preparation of the championship is in final stage and all equipment necessary for various disciplines has reached the venue, claimed Zahid Rizvi, Sindh Athletic Association (SAA) president.

He said that things required for pole-vaulting, cross bar, javelin throw and hammer throw have been brought from Islamabad.

Many teams have reached the city and remaining would be here in a couple of days, Rizvi said. Those already here include Army, Air Force, Navy and WAPDA.

The other teams are Railways, HEC, Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Rizvi said that a technical official course was conducted on Tuesday, and it would continue on Wednesday (today).

A number of athletes participated in the course, he added.

He said that the teams had started training at the renovated tartan track.

Rizvi said that around 600 athletes, male and female, would participate in the championship.

The SAA president said that after a long time the national athletic championship was being organised in Karachi. “We will make sure that the championship is organised in a befitting manner,” he said.

Rizvi said that all departmental teams would have to arrange their lodging. “We will provide lodging to regional teams only,” he said.

Meanwhile, SAA announced the Sindh teams for the championship.

Sindh Men: Osama Sultan, Ali Shan, Rahim Baig, Mohsin, Imam Ali Usman, Tanveer Reza, M Adnan, Arbab Khan, M Azeem, M Zada,  Asfend Shehbaz, Fateullah, Faraz Ahmed, Rizwan, Noman Amir Hayat, Sajawal, Hamza Muffareh, Babar,  Sylvestien Dean, Ibrar Hussain,  Shakeel Ahmed, Naheed Ullah, Ahad Hammad, Zain, Imam Bux, Adeel, Shehryar, Shafiullah, Khalil Shah, Hamza, Tahir Soomro, Shahzaib, Sadiq.

Sindh Women: Esha Affan, Arooba Amjad, Adina Nadeem, Sadia Bashir, Hawra Moochala, Sehrish Qayyum, Salwa Fareed, Narmeena Ali, Mehnaz, Ayesha, Khansa Tariq, Anumta, Ayna Ghayoor, Nida Imran,  Kalsoom Ghulam, Javeria Butt, Hina Moin, Sara Mengal, Zubayda, Nadia Khan, Zeenat Nasab, Zara Bandukwala, Nida Nadeem Jameela,  Marziah Rasheed, Aneeqa Khan and Sana Rafique.