19 badminton matches decided on the opening day

Punjab Games finally roll into action

By Our correspondent

LAHORE: The 72nd Punjab Games finally formally blasted into action here on Wednesday evening after a three hours delay in a dull and boring opening ceremony held at Punjab Stadium on Wednesday night.

Governor Punjab Sarwar was to open the games at 6 pm but by 9 pm he did not appear for the opening ceremony. All the participating athletes, officials and guests were stressed with such a long delay. The delay came at a time when the country is ruled by a first ever sportsman prime minister, Imran Khan.

At last the the games after a much long wait started and the male and female players of all nine divisions of the province along with players of other provinces took part in march past.

The participants also presented aerobics, gymnastics and sufi dance during the ceremony. The players belonging to all parts of province were quite excited about the grand event.

The 72nd edition of the Games are being held after a lapse of eight years and its organization was made possible only after Sports Board Punjab (SBP) shown interest in its conduct. Its being held with the collaboration of Punjab Olympic Association and will continue till April 6.

Meanwhile, competitions of disciplines different got under way at various venues of the city. The table tennis competitions were held at Nishtar Park Sports Comlex Gymnasium Hall.

In the table tennis team event, Lahore Division outplayed Sargodha by 3-0 margin. Faisalabad team managed to beat Rawalpindi by a narrow margin of 3-2 after tough contest. Gujranwala division emerged winner against DG Khan by 3-1 while Multan division and Sahiwal division thrashed Bahawalpur and Gujranwala by identical margin of 3-0 respectively.

The fights of kick-boxing were organised at kick-boxing ring adjacent to Punjab Stadium. Danish Anjum of Sahiwal defeated Siraj Ali of Rawalpindi in 51kg category fight while Bilawal Hussain of Gujranwala emerged winner against Shahid Ali of Sargodha in another fight of 51kg category.

The athletics competitions of special persons were held at Punjab Stadium. Azhar Ali of Faisalabad won the 100m PD one arm boys event with the time of 19.10 while Naeem Masih of Lahore and Liaqat Ali of Sahiwal remained second and third in this competition.

Following are the results of other categories: 100m Girls (V.I): Kiran Rafiq (R.pindi), Attiya (Srgda), Huma Ashraf (Lhr).

100m Girls (H.I): Sana Batool (R.pindi), Memoona (Lhr), Javeria (Fsbd).

100m Boys (M.C): Sultan (Gujrwla), Anas Muawia (Lhr), A Saboor (Fsbd).

100m Boys (H.I): Rasheed Ali (Fsbd), M Ahmad (R.pindi), M Janshed (Srgda).

Meanwhile, as many as 19 matches of badminton were played on the opening day of the 72nd Punjab Games here on Wednesday. On the day men’s singles and doubles quarter finals were decided and the lucky ones who made the semi-finals included Muteeb Sohail Dar (Rawalpindi), Ahmer Jalal (Lahore), Ammar Masood (Lahore) in singles and Anees Khan & Jalees Khan (Multan), Uaakeph & Muteeb Sohail (Rawalpindi), Ahmer Jalal & Gohar Azam (Lahore) and Muqeet Tahir & Irfan (Sahiwal) made thei way to the doubles last four.

Results (Men Singles 1st Round) Yousaf Rehman (Gujranwala) beat Sarmad Umair (Sarghodha) 21-14, 21-17, M Asim (Multan) beat M Aqif Bhatti (Bahawalpur) 21-15, 21-8, Muqeet Tahir (Sahiwal) beat Hassan Asghar (Bahawalpur) 21-06, 21-15, Muqsit Islam (Faisalabad) beat Jalees Khan (Bahawalpur) 21-19, 21-16, Ammar Masood (Lahore) beat Zia Ul Haq (Dera Ghazi Khan) 21-16, 21-13, Muteeb Sohail Dar (Rawalpindi) beat Usman Butt (Faisalabad) 21-18, 21-12, Ahmer Jalal (Lahore) Beat Waseem Sarwar (Gujranwala) 17-21, 21-14, 21-13, Round Irfan (Sahiwal) beat Ijaz Ali (Sargodha) 21-9, 18-21, 21-16, M Asim (Multan) beat M Faeez (Dera Ghazi Khan) 24-22, 21-11, Yousaf Rehman (Gujranwala) beat Ahmed Hassan Janjua (Rawalpindi) 20-22, 21-19, 21-13; Quarter Finals; Muqeet Tahir (Sahiwal) beat Muqsit Islam (Faisalabad) 21-12, 21-16, Muteeb Sohail Dar (Rawalpindi) beat Irfan (Sahiwal) 21-18, 19-21, 21-10, Ahmer Jalal (Lahore) beat M. Asim (Multan) 21-15, 21-14, Ammar Masood (Lahore) beat Yousaf Rehman (Gujranwala) 21-18, 21-23, 26-24.

Men Doubles: Tayyab Bashir & Hassan (Sargodha) beat Usama & Faizan (Bahawalpur) 21-8, 21-14; Quarter Final; Anees Khan & Jalees Khan (Multan) beat Muqsit Islam & Shahzaib (Faisalabad) 21-14, 21-15, Uaakeph & Muteeb Sohail (Rawalpindi) beat Tayyab Bashir & Hassan (Sargodha) 16-21, 21-13, 21-15, Ahmer Jalal & Gohar Azam (Lahore) beat Zia Ul haq & Faeez (Dera Ghazi Khan) 21-17, 21-16, Muqeet Tahir & Irfan (Sahiwal) beat Yousaf Rehman & Waqar (Gujranwala) 21-17, 19-21, 21-14.