Saadi set to feature in Karate 1-Premier League

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top karateka and Olympics hope Saadi Abbas is set to feature in the Karate 1-Premier League which will be hosted by Dubai from February 14-16.

Saadi, who is ranked 23rd, needs to pull off some outstanding wins to rise in Olympics ranking. He will have to grab a place in top five in the -75 kilogramme competitions if he is to make it to the world’s most prestigious event.

Saadi, a two-time Commonwealth Championship gold medallist, is training in Dubai with the UAE national team. He is hopeful of a decent show in the toughest event, which has the largest number of points on offer after the World Championships.

“I have trained hard and am hopeful of a good outcome,” Saadi told ‘The News’ from Dubai. However, he was quick to add that he lacked the facilities which fighters of the developed world have. “I am labouring hard but the issue is that I don’t enjoy any such facility which my opponents have. Although I have sponsors and through their input I can feature in qualifiers, I miss so many things which I need during the qualifying phase,” said Saadi, also a former Asian champion.

As one of the last events in the Olympic qualification process, the Karate 1-Premier League Dubai is crucial in the race to determine the athletes who will participate in Karate’s Olympic debut in Tokyo. Nearly 600 competitors from no less than 85 countries have confirmed their participation at the big event. The elimination rounds will be held on Friday and Saturday, with the medal bouts taking place on Sunday.

So far three Pakistani shooters, an athlete and a horse-rider Usman Khan have made it to the Olympics. Olympian judoka Shah Hussain is also expected to earn a seat. He has achieved the continental qualification but needs to maintain his spot. He is featuring in various events and is expected to qualify directly for the Olympics which will be held coming summer. Shah recently won a fight in Grand Slam in Paris and is set to feature in another Grand Slam to be held in Germany later this month.