Usman undergoing night training to prepare for Olympics

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier Melbourne-based horse rider Usman Khan is undergoing training in the night to prepare for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

“Colder months have arrived, it’s zero and -1 C degree, the horses are still in work during Ramadan. We are training during the early hours of the morning, starting at 2am,” Usman told The News on Tuesday.

At the Wallaby Hill in December 2019 Usman and his horse Azad Kashmir did well to complete the CCI4*-L, finishing 13th and that was enough to earn their Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) and achieve Tokyo 2020 qualification.Usman will be the first Pakistani horse rider who will be featuring in Olympics to be held in July-August next year in Tokyo. He will feature in eventing event of the equestrian. “The lockdown in Australian has eased but restrictions do apply until end of May. FEI medical board has submitted new framework for WHO approval for commencement of sport. Australia plans to open in July. The Pakistan Equestrian Federation is looking forward into the future with focus also on 2022 Asian Games in China,” Usman said.

“The level of competition for Asian Games is not as high as Olympics, Asian Games are normally at FEI 3 star level and Olympics at FEI 4 star level,” Usman said.A few events after the lockdown will be important for Usman to show further promise ahead of the biggest spectacle of the world. Usman, who is a self-made athlete and son of a retired major, had to struggle for 15 long years for making it to the Olympics,

Besides Usman, javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, shooters Khalil Akhtar, Gulfam Joseph and Ghulam Mustafa Bashir have already qualified for the Olympics.Judoka Shah Hussain and karateka Saadi Abbas are in line, making efforts to make it to the Olympics.