December 18, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 13, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: The president of the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir said Tuesday that victory in the World Junior Championship in Chennai was no fluke.

“We worked to a plan for the past one and half year and the boys put in a lot of efforts that earned us the title,” he told journalists at the Air Headquarters Chaklala after greeting the champion team.

Pakistan, under coach Rehmat Khan claimed the title last week for the first time in 20 years by beating England in the final.

Terming it as a great occasion for the PSF, Mushaf urged the players to work even harder in future. “Continue to concentrate on your game and don’t be misguided by anyone.”

He announced a cash award of Rs 100,000 each for Khayal Muhammad, Khalid Atlas, Majid Khan and Safeerullah, all of whom featured in the team event. Shah Nawaz who competed in the individual competition, would collect Rs 25,000. In addition, Rs 100,000 would go to coach Rehmat and Rs 30,000 to assistant coach Ayaz Khan.

Mushaf expressed the hope that the senior players, especially Shahid Zaman, Mansoor Zaman and Farrukh Zaman would learn a lesson from the juniors. “If the seniors had worked as hard as we wanted them to, today they would at least have been among the top 15.”

“Although they have not fared badly, we would want them to put in personal efforts because we are pinning high hopes on them.”

Mansoor, number 18 in the world, is currently the only Pakistani among the top 20.