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| March 29, 2006 | Wednesday | Safar 28, 1427 |
Pakistan rot continues
ISLAMABAD, March 28: Pakistan’s performance in the just-concluded 18th Commonwealth Games at Melbourne (Australia) has been more or less a repeat of their show at the 17th edition four years ago at Manchester 2002. Pakistan captured five medals, a gold, at the Melbourne as compared to their seven medals, inclusive of a single gold, at Manchester. It competed in 11 of the 16 disciplines which featured and represented by a 76-strong contingent.
As the curtain fell down on the Games with a glittering closing ceremony at Melbourne on Sunday night, the comparison of Pakistan’s performance with that of India offers a disappointing reading.
India finished fourth with 50 medals altogether — 22 of them golds in addition to 17 silver and 11 bronze medals. As compared to this, the breakup of Pakistan’s tally read one gold, three silver and one bronze medal.
Pakistan captured one gold, three silver and as many bronze medals at Manchester 2002.
In view of the above statistics, can anyone imagine that Pakistan were more than three-times superior than India in the 1958 edition held at Cardiff (Wales, UK) when the greenshirts made their Commonwealth Games debut.
Pakistan then finished with 10 medals overall (five golds, three silvers and two bronzes) while India could claim only three medals — two golds and one silver.
Pakistan did capture fourth place on Commonwealth Games medals at Perth (Australia) in 1962 when their wrestlers alone got seven golds and one silver.
Much hopes were attached with boxing. Eventually, one silver medal was all that Pakistani squad could snatch in the boxing ring.
Asian Games gold-medallist Meherullah won the silver medal in the 57 kg boxing category while Irshad Ali won silver medal in the 25-metres standard pistol shooting.
In team sports, Pakistani men’s hockey outfit finished with silver after losing to Australia in the final though the greenshirts had raised hopes of a gold medal after 2-1 golden goal victory over England in the semifinal.—APP
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