Pakistan’s top gold medal contender Nooh to compete today

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan’s highly gutsy weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt is a gold medal prospect for the country in the Commonwealth Games being held here at various venues. The 24-year old 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games bronze medallist will flex his muscles in the +109kg in the quadrennial event on Wednesday (today) here at the gigantic weightlifting gymnasium at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

His competition will begin at 10:30pm PST. It will be interesting to see how he delivers in what could be an absorbing event, carrying nine entries.

The actual fight for the gold will be between Nooh, New Zealand’s David Andrew Liti and India’s Gurdeep Singh. The trio have not much difference and the one who will keep nerves and produce his best may clinch gold.

If Nooh is able to claim gold, it will be the second gold from the country in the Commonwealth Games weightlifting history. Shuja-Uddin Malik is the only weightlifter who has claimed gold in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games in the 85 kilogramme.

Abdul Ghafoor and Mohammad Irfan have silvers in 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, respectively. Irfan also has to his credit bronze in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

In the last edition of the Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast Australia in 2018, Nooh and Talha Talib had secured bronze.

And the Gujranwala-born Nooh has the perfect gold chance this time. Nooh’s jerk is the best among the three top contenders and his short-stature also will benefit him in the race.

In the last year’s World Championship in Tashkent, where the Commonwealth Games ranking had also been made, Nooh’s total was 390kg, David had finished with 414kg and Gurdeep had lifted 389 kg which shows that it could be a stunning contest in Birmingham among the three.

“Nooh is highly talented and he will go for the gold,” Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) vice-president Amjad Butt told 'The News'.

Before Nooh’s competition on Wednesday (today) his younger brother Hanzala Dastgir Butt will compete in the 109kg at 1:30pm PST. Hanzala is also highly talented, having won gold in the 2019 South Asian Games.

“I have prepared very well and will go for the medal,” Hanzala told 'The News' here on Tuesday.

“All the ten weightlifters in our weight category are almost of even strength. It will be a tough event but I am optimistic about my medal chances,” Hanzala said.

His stats show if he is able to lift 150kg in snatch and 192kg in clean and jerk he may snare a bronze.

Hanzala was also hopeful about his brother’s gold medal chances. “Nooh is ready and will play for gold,” Hanzala said.

Both brothers have trained at their home for the quadrennial event under the supervision of their father Ghulam Dastgir Butt who is their coach. Ghulam Dastgir Butt has himself been a great name in Pakistan’s weightlifting history.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has fielded only three weightlifters in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Haider Ali on Monday finished fifth in the 81 kilogramme weight category during which he also developed elbow injury during a snatch attempt.

Pakistan was more likely to field six weightlifters in the CW Games but its hopes dashed when three were dropped from the list due to doping scandal. They include the country's premier weightlifter Talha Talib, Abu Bakar Ghani and Sharjeel Butt who are still under scanner of the International Testing Agency (ITA) along with three other national weightlifters whose fate is yet to be decided.