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Thursday March 28, 2024

COMMONWEALTH GAMES:

April 15, 2018

Pakistan’s Inam is gold

By Alam Zeb Safi

GOLD COAST, Australia: Mohammad Inam made Pakistan proud when he gave a terrific performance by beating Melvin Bibo of Nigeria in the 86kg men’s freestyle wrestling final to win the first gold medal for the country on the penultimate day of the 21st Commonwealth Games here at the Carrara Stadium Saturday.

Tayyab Raza claimed another bronze medal for Pakistan in the 125kg category.

This is the second Commonwealth Games gold for Inam after winning the title in 2010 in Delhi, but that time in the 84kg category. “I have worked very hard and today I am happy with my achievement. Thanks God,” Inam said while talking to ‘The News’.

Pakistan also wrapped up its Commonwealth Games journey on Saturday with one gold and four bronze medals. Weightlifters Talha Talib (62kg) and Nooh Dastagir Butt (plus 105kg) and wrestler Mohammad Bilal (57kg), Inam’s younger brother, are the other medallists for Pakistan, which jumped to 22nd spot in the medals table.

It was a dream day for Inam as he romped to the final after edging out three tough opponents on a pleasant day in Gold Coast.

The first round of the final remained absorbing with Inam finishing it with a 1-0 lead against Bibo. After the break he played aggressively and took his lead to 6-0. In the last couple of minutes he did not give any room to the 41-year-old 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist to seal a victory.

England’s Syerus Eslami and India’s Somveer captured bronze.

Earlier in the semi-final, Inam earned a superb comeback ‘victory by fall’ over Canada’s Alexander Moore.

Inam, who last year won a gold medal in the Beach World Championships in Turkey, was 0-6 behind in just one minute and two seconds as his rival started the game aggressively. But eventually it was Inam who knew how to overcome his rival by taking four quick points. He then controlled his opponent in a tight grasp, with Moore unable to even move. That forced the jury to decide the battle on the basis of victory by fall in favour of Inam.

In the quarter-final, Inam showed tremendous technical superiority to beat India’s Somveer Kadian 10-0 (technical superiority) to qualify for the semi-finals.

Inam defeated Australia’s Jayden Lawrence in the pre-quarter-finals (first fight). The Pakistani was trailing 4-5 at one stage in the first round. However, he regained his composure and fully exploited the weaknesses of his rival, taking a big 9-4 lead by the end of the round.

In the second round he did not give the Australian any chance, showing immense technical superiority to take the fight 14-4.

Meanwhile, Tayyab lost to Korey Jarvis of Canada on ‘victory by fall’ decision to settle for a bronze in the 125kg category. Earlier, in his first league game he came from 0-2 down to beat Nigeria’s Boltic Sinivie 10-2.

Tayyab then got a walkover against Cameroon’s Claude Kouamen Mbianga when the later did not appear due to injury. In his next fight he was undone by India’s Sumit 10-4.