‘Shah Hussain can reach Rio’

KARACHI: Pakistan’s judo coach Sajjad Kazmi said on Monday that Japan-based Shah Hussain had the guts to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“I have watched Shah’s bouts. He is a fine player and is capable of reaching Rio,” Sajjad told ‘The News’ here in an interview. However, he was quick to add that Shah would have to overcome a weakness if he wanted to be more impressive. “His newaza is weak which has been harming him in international circuit. Recently we saw him facing problems with this technique even in the World Championships and Asian Games,” the 26-year-old Sajjad pointed out.
He said that he could teach him how to make improvement in the area. “Sure, I have the ability to teach him. He can overcome the problem in a short period,” Guilan-born former international said.
He also requested the authorities to support Shah. “For gaining a place in Rio, Shah will need to appear in maximum major events which will serve as qualifiers for Olympics. He should be fully supported,” he said.
None of Pakistan’s judo players has ever made it to the Olympics. Shah Hussain will come to Pakistan next week along with his father, former Olympic bronze medallist boxer Hussain Shah, to attend cash awards ceremony to be hosted by Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) in Islamabad in the first week of next month.
Sajjad has been imparting training to judokas for the last few weeks here at the PSB Coaching Centre.
“We have 10 junior national judokas and 11 from Sindh in the camp. WAPDA and Army are yet to send their players,” Sajjad said.
Sajjad said that Pakistan would appear in the Asian Judo championship in Kuwait in May.
He said Shah Hussain would also feature in the continental event.
“He will be our main hope in that event in -100 kilogramme,” Sajjad added.
About Japan-based emerging judoka Wajahat Sarwar, the coach said that he would like him to attend trials in Pakistan. “We have a couple of fine players in the weight in which Wajahat is playing. I have not seen him and I will request him to come here for trials and if he is good we will consider him for the Asian championship,” he added.