Pak athletes’ training begins today

KARACHI: Pakistani players of different disciplines will assemble in Islamabad and Lahore on Tuesday (today) to begin their preparation for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games slated to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from September 17-27.

“Yes, we have approved the camps to begin from August 1 and tomorrow the players will assemble to begin their preparation,” a senior official of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Habib Shah told ‘The News’ on Monday.

He said the camps of wrestling and ju-jitsu would begin in Lahore, while the athletes of the other disciplines would start their preparation at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.

Shah said that good diet would be provided to the athletes during the preparation. Around 140-memebr contingent of Pakistan will feature in the Ashgabat Games.

The disciplines in which the country will take part in the Games are athletics, snooker and billiards, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, tennis, ju-jitsu, wrestling and kick-boxing.

Kick-boxing, a late addition to the list, will manage its own expenses as its federation is not affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

Pakistan Weightlifting Federation’s (PWF) secretary Amjad Amin Butt told ‘The News’ that weightlifters would start assembling in Islamabad on Tuesday.

“As the players live in different areas of the country, I think they will reach Islamabad for the camp in one and a half day,” Butt said.

He said that around 16 weightlifters would train in the camp. He said that four weightlifters and two officials would be sent to Turkmenistan.About Pakistan’s chances in the Games, Butt said it would be a hard event as world’s leading weightlifters, Olympic and world champions, belong to Asia.

Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) will send a 42-member squad. “Three wrestlers will feature in freestyle wrestling, three in Greco-Roman style, while 27 grapplers will be part of belt-wrestling contests. Two managers and seven coaches will accompany the squad,” a PWF official said.

Pakistan Taekwondo Federation’s (PWF) president Col Waseem Ahmed said that his players would reach Islamabad on Tuesday (today). “Our players will reach Islamabad tomorrow. As many as 16 male and ten female will train under the supervision of two coaches. Finally, we will send five male and five female players to Ashgabat,” Waseem said.

Pakistan Ju-Jitsu Federation’s President Khalil Ahmed told this correspondent that their players would begin training at the PSB Coaching Centre Lahore on Tuesday.

“We have invited 24 players to the camp and we will try to send those to Turkmenistan who have medal chances. I will personally oversee the progress in the camp,” Khalil said.

Experienced Mohammad Ammar and Abu Huraira will join the camp soon after returning from Poland on Wednesday (tomorrow). They took part there in the World Games held from July 20 to 30.

The pair lost both their league matches in their group in the duo event against world champions Austria and Belgium, ranked third in the world, after fighting hard.

“We also plan to field ten to 15 players in the Asian Championship to be held in Vietnam from August 9-11. But it depends on finances,” Khalil said.

The president of Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) Major General Akram Sahi told this correspondent a few days ago that he plans to send eight men and four women athletes to Turkmenistan. “The four are those who featured in relay in the Asian Championship in India recently. Of them Mehboob and Nokar will also run in 400m hurdles. We have also put young sprinter Shehbaz and young triple jumper Mohammad Afzal in the squad,” Sahi said.