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Thursday March 28, 2024

Better late than never

By Khalid Hussain
November 17, 2019

At first sight it was easy to dismiss it as one of the many national level sports events which are held across the country every now and then.

The makeshift boxing arena was brimming with spectators, participating athletes, officials and security personnel. There was excitement in the air with almost deafening sounds of trumpets and slogans being raised by the spectators. The heavyweight pugilists were fighting tooth and nail because it was a gold medal which was at stake.

I had seen such atmosphere in other parts of Pakistan especially Karachi, which was once a hub of boxing. But the boxing bout which I witnessed on a freezing evening in Peshawar last week was just one of the hundreds of event which were being simultaneously held across KP. It was part of the National Games 2019 hosted by KP in collaboration with the government authorities and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

Just a few metres away from the boxing arena, two pint-sized athletes were engaged in an engrossing karate fight at the buzzing venue of the Peshawar Sports Complex. They were being cheered by hundreds of spectators. The most notable section of the crowd consisted of dozens of athletes, both male and female, from Gilgit Baltistan. Relatively new to the national sports scene, athletes from Gilgit Baltistan were among the keenest to feature in the National Games.

These were the sights and sounds that compelled me not to dismiss the events at first sight.

Despite all their shortcomings, the National Games in Peshawar were quite a success. That’s because it was a small miracle that the Games took place at all. For years, the 33rd edition of the National Games, supposed to be hosted by Quetta, was postponed because of a variety of reasons including security apprehensions.

The security and safety of the participating athletes and officials were very much a major concern for the organisers of the National Games in KP. The Games, after all were the largest ever in the history of the country. Thousands of athletes from all over the country featured in the week-long spectacle which concluded with a tightly-guarded closing ceremony in Peshawar on Saturday evening.

There were a series of initial hassles mostly surrounding around the accommodation of the visiting athletes. But one must praise the local KP authorities and the POA over their success in the smooth hosting the National Games.

Among the highlights of the Games was the fact that this time the event featured the largest participation of women in the history of the Games. Female athletes took part in 26 of the 31 disciplines which were part of the Games.

It was heartening to see athletes like 15-year-old Hamna Amjad from Lahore winning two gold medals in individual and team events of the Games’ golf competition held at the Peshawar Golf Club last Friday.

Fully aware that of the rise and rise of ESports all over the sporting world, the POA included ESports competitions for the first time in the National Games as a demonstration sport. On my visit to the Peshawar Sports Complex, I saw, first hand, dozens of excited youth competing on large digital screens just outside the boxing arena.

Another area in the sports complex which was jam packed with participating athletes was the corner where the POA and the organisers had arranged for a series of Athletes Awareness programme sessions. During these interactive sessions the athletes were provided with vital information ranging from potential injuries to the risks of doping.

“We have tried our best to incorporate as many important things in these Games as possible,” Lt Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hassan told me as we walked towards the boxing arena after having watched part of a Awareness session. “It’s really important for our athletes to be in touch with what’s happening in the rest of the sports world,” he added.

The National Games 2019 faced a series of stumbling blocks but the fact that it did take place was a big step forward for Pakistan sports. One hopes that the national athletes will not have to wait long for the 34th National Games planned for 2021.

Khalid Hussain is Editor Sports of The News

khalidhraj@gmail.com