KARACHI: Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) is desperately trying to hire the services of a couple of Chinese coaches for its sprinters and javelin throwers in order to prepare them for this year’s major international events.
“Yes, we have talked to Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) and hopefully we will be able to hire a couple of coaches from China in near future for six months,” AFP president Maj Gen (retd) Akram Sahi told ‘The News’ on Monday.
“One will train sprinters to prepare them for the 13th South Asian Games and the other will work with the Asian Games bronze medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and others. Arshad, besides featuring in the SAG, will also represent Pakistan in the World Athletics Championships. We have sent his entry for the global event to enhance his chances of an Olympic seat,” said Sahi, who recently got elected as the vice-president of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA).
The SAG will be held in Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal, from December 1-10. The World Athletics Championships will be conducted in Doha from September 27 to October 6.
About financial assistance for hiring Chinese coaches, Sahi said that Army had told him that it would pay the sprint coach. He added Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) could also back the cause as per its policy about foreign coaches.
“Arshad is employed by WAPDA. If WAPDA helps us in paying his coach it will be great,” Sahi said. “If it did not, we would seek support from other quarters,” he said.
He was quick to add that it would be of great help if both coaches were hired as they would train the healthy bunch in these two areas in which Pakistan had the chance to win medals in the South Asian Games.
Sahi is also keen to see his athletes in training camps as soon as possible. “We are writing to the PSB for training camps. You know World Championships is also close and there are also SAG for which solid preparation is needed,” he said.
Sahi urged the government to take benefit of the MoUs which it had signed with various countries. He said that he was trying on his own to establish a link with Qatar through his friend Dahlan Al-Hamad of Qatar, who is the AAA chief, so that Pakistan’s athletes could get training there and benefit from the fantastic facilities which Qatar has established over the years.
“Foreign training is a must for our athletes if they are to excel in international circuit,” Sahi stressed.
“During awards ceremony in Islamabad recently I spoke on stage that Arshad has great potential but he will not be able to progress unless he is provided foreign training opportunities,” Sahi said.
Arshad has been the most successful athlete of the country during the last few years. He has to his credit bronze in the 2018 Asian Games and the Asian Junior Championship. In the Asian Games, Arshad recorded 80.75 metre throw which means if he is able to reach to 85m plus in the World Championships in Doha, he can qualify for the 2020 Olympics.
