Commonwealth Games: Wrestlers to start training from Dec 27

KARACHI: The national grapplers will assemble in Lahore on December 27 to launch their preparation for the next year’s Commonwealth Games slated to be held in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15.

“Yes, the boys will start their training from December 27 at Lahore,” Pakistan Wrestling Federation’s (PWF) secretary Arshad Sattar told ‘The News’ on Thursday.Pakistan will be competing in five weight categories in the freestyle competitions of the event. Pakistan will finalise the side in January, Arshad said.

Japan-based wrestler Haroon Abid, nephew of Jhara Pahlawan, will also come to Pakistan to undergo trials. “He will come by January 10 and will go through trials. If he is good he will be considered for Commonwealth Games,” Arshad said.

Haroon plays in 97 kilogramme category. Japan’s legendary wrestler Inoki has taken him to Japan and is meeting all his expenses.Pakistan is also likely to send its squad to Iran for a couple of months training ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

“We had told Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) that our wrestlers need three months training abroad. The Board agreed but told us that we should go for two months. If it happens it will boost our medal chances in Australia,” Arshad said. Arshad on Thursday met with the top brass of PSB in Islamabad and discussed Pakistan’s wrestling plans for the coming international assignments.

Arshad said that the country’s premier wrestler Mohammad Inam had a great chance to win gold medal in Australia.“Inam can win a gold medal. In South Africa he narrowly missed the gold medal. If he is given foreign training it will definitely boost his gold chances,” the official added.

Inam finished with silver in the 92kg freestyle competitions in South Africa. However, in Australia he will compete in his original weight of 86kg.Inam told this correspondent from Lahore that Iran’s tour would boost his chances in the Commonwealth Games. “In Iran I would get some good training,” Inam said.

“In Pakistan wrestlers are not that good and so we cannot get quality training. It would be a good step to tour abroad at this stage,” Inam said. In the last Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow in 2014 Pakistan got one silver and one bronze in wrestling competitions.In the recent Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in South Africa, Pakistan won one silver and ten bronze medals.