Pak athletes disappoint in Baku

KARACHI: The athletics authorities were expecting that national athletes would secure seven to eight medals at the Islamic Games in Baku. But it seems that it is not going to happen as their poor run in the Fourth Islamic Games continued on Thursday.

Maria Maratab clocked her personal best timing of 15.10 in the 100m hurdles final but it was not enough as she finished seventh out of eight contestants.

In women’s 400m race, Pakistan’s Aniqa Hashmi failed to qualify for the next stage when she ended last among five athletes in her heat, clocking 1:02.22.

In women’s javelin throw final, Fatima Hussain ended last among six athletes with a throw of 37.75m.

In men’s 200m semi-finals, Olympian Liaquat Ali and Mohammad Shahbaz finished 14th and 15th, respectively, out of 21 contestants. Liaquat clocked 21.73 and Shahbaz inked 21.76.

Wrestling: In the +130kg Greco-Roman style quarter-finals, Pakistan’s Akram Musab Khan went 0-9 down against Azerbaijan’s Sabah Shariati.

Table Tennis: Pakistan’s Rahila Kashif failed to live up to the expectations when she went 0-4 down against Turkey’s Melek Hu in women’s singles table tennis quarter-finals in only 12 minutes.

The set scores were 11-1, 11-5, 11-8, 11-4.

Shabnam Bilal had lost her round of 16 fixture on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s men, including Mohammad Rameez and Asim Qureshi, also failed to perform well. Rameez fell in the round of 16. Asim lost in the round of 32 in men’s singles.

Pakistan’s men team, comprising Asim, Rameez and Abdul Rahim, will play directly in the quarter-finals of the men’s team event on Friday (today) because only seven countries have fielded their outfits.

Pakistan’s women team, consisting of Shabnam, Rahila and Ayesha Iqbal, will also play in the quarter-finals directly because only five nations are competing.

Volleyball: Pakistan face Turkmenistan in their last group show of men’s volleyball slots. Pakistan are already out of the competitions. After losing to Azerbaijan and Turkey, Pakistan defeated Palestine the other day in their third show.

Tennis: In women’s singles second round, Pakistan’s Ushna Sohail lost to Theiviya Selva Rajoo of Malaysia with the set scores of 2-6, 7-5, 1-6. Pakistan have so far claimed five medals, two silver and three bronze.