September 20, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 07, 1428

KARACHI, Sept 19: Four Pakistani canoeists, all belonging to Navy, returned home from Seoul the other day after failing to win any honour in the 12th Asian Canoeing Championship which concluded at Hwacheon on Sunday.

The canoeists — Sajid Shah (C-1 200m, 500m), Tasleem Raza (K-1 200m, 500m) and Tahir Shahzad Akbar/Shahjehan Khan (K-2 200m, 500m) — were among those who also ran and eliminated in the initial stages of the 22-nation event.

The sojourn, first in three to four years, was materialised at the last moment and the team reached a day after the competition had begun.

The canoeists were accompanied by the president of the Canoeing Association of Pakistan (CAP) Rashid Ali Khan, secretary Capt (retd) Jawaid Zia and international technical official Syed Mahfoozul Haq.

Mahfooz, whose visit was financed by the hosts, supervised the competition.

“Iran has assured to donate a fleet of 10 different boats and related equipments to the CAP by the end of this year,” said Mahfooz who also managed Pakistan team at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.

The assurance came from president Canoe Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran who is also mayor of Tehran when he met Pakistani officials on the sidelines of the championship.

He has also extended an invitation to Pakistan to visit Iran sometime in March-April next for a series between the two nations.