Shah plays crucial bout in World Judo today

KARACHI: Pakistani judokas Shah Hussain and Wajahat Sarwar will play their opening bouts in the World Judo Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Saturday (today).
Both Japan-based players will compete in the -100 kilogramme weight category.
Shah, son of former Pakistan Olympic medallist boxer Hussain Shah, will face a player from Uruguay, while Wajahat will meet a judoka from Uzbekistan.
Pakistan’s Iranian coach Sajjad Kazmi, who is not accompanying the players, said that he was expecting a good result from Shah.
“Shah has a good chance to beat his opponent from Uruguay as that player is not that strong,” Sajjad told ‘The News’ from Islamabad.
“A win in the first round will help Shah secure points which will improve his world ranking,” Sajjad said.
Shah is the sole Olympic hope of Pakistan after the country failed to make a cut in hockey for the prestigious event — for the first time in history.
If Shah plays well in the World Championships and subsequent major events till May 2016, he can bring himself into the top 30 in the world, which will help him earn a ticket for Rio Olympics.
Shah would be the first judoka of Pakistan if he managed to qualify for the quadrennial event.
Shah’s current world ranking is 52. Before Shah’s departure for Astana from Tokyo a few days ago, Shah’s father Hussain Shah told this correspondent that his son had overcome his weaknesses and would be a different player in the World Championships.
Shah shot to fame when he won silver medal in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
In the subsequent Incheon Asian Games, however, he failed to live up to the expectations when he lost his first fight.
Shah showed weakness in newaza (ground technique) in the Asiad. However, after the continental event he underwent tough training at his university.
He recently got the best athlete award at the Inter-University Games of Japan which featured Olympic medallists.
Shah told this correspondent a couple of months back that he was confident that he would qualify for Rio Olympics. “I am confident. I have almost qualified. If others fail in Pakistan to qualify for Rio, I should do it,” Shah said. Wajahat made a fine debut last year at the World Junior Championships in Miami, the United States, by winning a couple of bouts.
“Wajahat’s Uzbek rival is highly experienced, so I don’t see any chance for him,” Sajjad said. Wajahat lost in the first round in the Asian Junior Championship in Hong Kong last year.