ASIAN GAMES: Rukhsana, Razia named in boxing team

RAWALPINDI: Razia Bano and Rukhsana Perveen will become the first Pakistani women boxers to feature in the forthcoming Asian Games.

The Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) announced an eight-member team for the 18th Asian Games which will be hosted by Indonesia in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2.

PBF Secretary Col Nasir Tung said that Razia will feature in the 51kg category while Rukhsana will compete in the 60kg class. The team was selected after trials.

The men’s team includes Mohibullah (49kg), Mohammad Asif (52kg), Naqibullah (56kg), Salman Baloch (64kg), Gul Zeb (69kg) and Tanvir Ahmed (75kg).

Col Nasir said the team will leave for Indonesia on August 21 while the draw ceremony of the boxing tournament will take place on August 23.

He said even though the boxers did not get much time to prepare for the major event, everyone has worked hard to achieve good results.

Meanwhile, the first batch of Pakistan’s contingent including the hockey and handball squads will leave for Indonesia on Saturday (today).

The remaining members of the party will head to Indonesia in different phases with the last batch reaching the Asian Games venues on August 28.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association chief Syed Aqil Shah, who is also a vice president of the Pakistan Olympic Association, is the chef de mission while Pakistan Sports Board’s Director General Arif Ibrahim is his deputy.