Najma Parveen stays on record-smashing spree

PESHAWAR: WAPDA’s Najma Parveen continued to sizzle as she smashed a record in 200 metre, her third record in three days, while Army’s international sprinter Uzair-ur-Rehman also set a new record in the 200 metre athletics competitions of the 33rd National Games here at the Qayyum Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

Najma, who had represented Pakistan in 2016 Rio Olympics, continued to shine as after setting records in 400m and 400m hurdles earlier, she set a 200m record by clocking 23.86 seconds on Wednesday.

“I had done immense workout during the last six months in particular and that paid dividends,” Najma told ‘The News’. This was the fifth gold medal for Najma in the event so far. She is set to appear in the 4x400metre relay on Thursday (today).

She also got gold medals in 100m and 100m relay. Najma was followed by Sahib-e-Asra of WAPDA with 24.34 seconds and with 25.14 seconds of timing Army’s Anila Gulzar got bronze.

Meanwhile, Uzair, who will also tour China later this month along with four other athletes for two-month training, clocked 21.06 seconds to set a new national record. This was the eighth record that was set in the event which concludes on Thursday (today).

Uzair was followed by Olympian Mehboob Ali who clocked 21.33 and Umar Sadat, also international, clocked 21.59 seconds to finish with a bronze medal.

Army (364 points), at the end of the penultimate day, were leading the women’s section with nine gold, 12 silvers and six bronze. WAPDA, with 222 points, were trailing second with seven gold, three silver, and one bronze medal. KP took two bronze, Punjab lifted one silver and Navy got one bronze.

Meanwhile, WAPDA were leading the women’s section with 436 points which they had earned by virtue of 12 gold, 13 silvers and two bronze. Army were trailing at the second spot with 278 points which they earned by virtue of five gold, four silvers and 11 bronze medals. KP and Punjab secured two bronze each.

In the morning session of the athletics competitions on Wednesday, in 42km marathon at Swabi, Nadeem Hasan of Army got gold with a timing of two hours and 24.2 minutes. Punjab’s Noshairwan Ashiq captured silver by clocking two hours, 29.2 minutes, while WAPDA’s Sher Khan picked bronze with a timing of two hours and 36.1 minutes.

Meanwhile, in men’s high jump, Sheroz Khan of WAPDA got gold with 2.03 metre, PAF’s Azmat Nadeem captured silver with 1.95 metre and WAPDA’s Ali Ashraf claimed bronze with 1.95 metre. In 10,000m women’s event, WAPDA’s highly experienced international runner Rabia Ashiq got gold with a timing of 43.10:18. Farhat Bano of WAPDA claimed silver with 43:10.46 and Farah of Army finished with a bronze by clocking 44:25.03.

Atiya Asghar of WAPDA clinched discus throw gold with 37.13 metre, WAPDA’s Rimsha Khan picked silver with 33.44 and Mehwish Karim of Army claimed bronze with 33.01.

In the evening session in discus throw men’s event, Shams-ul-Haq of PAF got gold with 51.32 metre, Kameerullah of Army clinched silver with 50.97 and Ali Mehtab of WAPDA claimed bronze with 50.36.

In 3000m steeple chase, Nasir Ali of WAPDA got gold with 9:14.79, Naved of Army with 9:22.59 finished with a silver and Tariq Mehmood of Army got bronze with 9:26.23. Rabia Ashiq of WAPDA got another gold medal when she clocked 5:06.20 in 1500m. This was the fifth gold for Rabia who also secured gold in 800m, 5000m, 10,000m and 4x400m relay.

“I am very happy for such a good performance,” Rabia told ‘The News’. In 2012 National Games, Rabia had lifted four gold and one silver to emerge as the best athlete. Rabeela Farooq of Army took silver with 5:09.75 and Farhat Bano of of WAPDA with 5:10.70 clinched bronze.