Pakistan wushu fighters well prepared for Asian Games

KARACHI: The impressive performance of national fighters in the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Wushu-Kungfu Championship in China showed that they were well prepared for Asian Games, a senior official of Pakistan Wushu Federation (PWF) said on Tuesday.

“It was a real test for our budding fighters. That we won two silver medals there shows that our homework for Asian Games is fairly good,” PWF president Malik Iftikhar told ‘The News’ from Lahore.

“The boys needed such a test and I think the way they played in China against tough fighters has brightened our medal chances in Asian Games,” Malik said.

Giving details of the SCO event, held in Chongqing from May 17-19, Malik said that Maaz Khan and Zahoor Ahmed lost their finals to Chinese fighters after a superb showing throughout. “Maaz qualified for the -75kg final after knocking out an Indian player in the semi-finals. In the final, he won the first round, but got injured in the second, which prevented him from winning gold,” Malik said.

Karachi-based Maaz originally belongs to village Batkool located at Battagram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and is an experienced fighter.

“Zahoor Ahmed conceded his -52 kg final to Chinese fighter 19-20 after defeating an Indian fighter in the semi-finals. Abdul Latif lost his quarter-final against a Chinese fighter in -65kg. But Latif played really well,” the PWF chief said.

Zahoor and Latif belong to Chaman, a town of Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan’s city Kandahar.Malik said that after a few days of rest these fighters have been called up for resuming their camp at Lahore.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PWF has been running the camp for Asian Games at Lahore. Malik is bearing all the expenses. Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is yet to arrange a camp for PWF.

The encouraging news for Pakistan is that the country’s seasoned fighter and two-time Asian Games medallist Maratab Ali Shah will also be part of the country’s wushu squad for the Asian Games.

“Maratab is fit and is going for the Asian Games. Our combination this time is much stronger than before,” Malik claimed. Kasur-born Maratab won bronze medals in 2006 Doha Asian Games and 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

Ijaz Ahmed secured silver for Pakistan in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.PWF plans to send seven men and five women for the Asian Games. Malik wants his squad to undergo training in Iran. “Iran is the second best side, after China, in Asia and if we sent our fighters there for training it would be great. Iran has strong wushu structure,” the PWF official said.

Pakistan wushu fighters have been earning medals at various levels but they have not got the support they deserve. The wushu hall at the Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad has been given by PSB to Amir Khan’s boxing academy.

The national fighters train at Lahore at a facility owned by Malik, which has a cemented platform, covered by a mat. It was imported from China. Asian Games are to be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2.