Pakistan end Commonwealth Wrestling with 1 silver, 10 bronze

KARACHI: It was expected that Pakistan would claim a couple of gold medals but on Sunday fortunes did not favour the national grapplers as they won one silver and four bronze medals in the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship freestyle competitions in Johannesburg.

Pakistan the other day had grabbed six bronze in Greco Roman style competitions. Thus, the country finished with one silver and ten bronze medals.The country’s premier wrestler Mohammad Inam had to be content with a silver medal in 92 kilogramme competitions when he defeated Arjudeem Airudeen 6-0. Earlier, the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Inam lost to Somveer of India, who won gold. There were only three players in this category.

“Inam was unfortunate not to grab gold. He had a 3-0 edge in his first fight but failed to maintain it that damaged his cause,” Pakistan Wrestling Federation’s (PWF) secretary Arshad Sattar told ‘The News’.

Tayyab Raza claimed bronze for Pakistan in the 97kg competitions when he upstaged Stephen Samuel (New Zealand) 10-0 in the bronze medal fight.In the qualification round, Tayyab had defeated Joe Samuel Hendry of England 10-0. In the semi-finals, Tayyab faced 0-4 defeat at the hands of Roublejit Singh of India.Umair Ahmed also clinched bronze when he whacked Hein Jakobus of South Africa 11-0 in the bronze medal fight of 86 kg competitions.

Earlier, Deepak of India defeated Umair in the quarter-finals 6-4.Rookie Ghulam Ghous also finished with a bronze in the 70kg slots when he defeated James Charlie of England 10-0. In the first round, Ghous lost to Arun Kumar of India 2-8 before going 0-10 down in the second round to Amit Kumar of India.

However at this stage Ghous staged a stunning fight-back when he routed Rudi Fouche of South Africa 8-0.The country’s promising wrestler Mohammad Bilal also got bronze in 57 kg competitions when he overwhelmed Capellan Darthe of Canada 9-4 in the bronze medal fight.

Bilal made a stunning start when he defeated Etko Viorel of England 10-0 in a one-sided fight. But he went 2-10 down to Pandharinath Utkarsh of India in the semi-finals.In 61kg slots, Abdul Wahab failed to get any medal. Wahab lost to Gert Connelius of South Africa, Sharban of India and Rahul Balasheb of India in his first three rounds.

In the fourth round, Wahab recorded a consolation win when he defeated Petrus Johannes of Australia 10-0.Mudassir Hussain also failed to impress when he went 2-13 down to Sonu of India in the bronze medal fight. In the qualification round, Mudassir lost to Bajrang of India 0-10.

In 79kg, Abdul Rehman finished without any medal. After beating Frydlan George of South Africa 6-4 in the first round he lost to Jitender of India 0-4 in the second round and went down to Veer Dev of India in the third round. In the fourth round, he fell against Cornor James of Australia.

In 125kg competitions, Ahmed Butt lost all his three rounds, against Sean Allan of Canada, Hayden Raymond of South Africa and Sumit of India.As many as nine wrestlers represented Pakistan in the competitions.