INCHEON: Pakistan’s wait for a medal at the Asian Games finally came to an end on Tuesday.

Syed Maratib Ali Shah’s bronze in the wushu competition meant Pakistan got on the medals table after four days of competition at the 17th edition of the Olympic-size event in Incheon.

“It’s a good beginning and motivating message for Pakistan athletes to excel at the Games,” a delighted Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) chief Syed Arif Hasan said.

Squash team begins title defence with victory over Qatar

Maratib’s bronze came despite his loss to China’s Kun Zhang in the semi-final of the sanda -70kg fight at the Ganghwa Dolmens Gymnasium.

According to the rules, bronze medals are awarded to both semi-final losers.

The 32-year-old, who also won bronze at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006, bowed out meekly to Kun as his coach threw in the towel in the first minute of their match.

Maratib, who finished ninth at the Asiad four years ago in Guangzhou, reached the semis after defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurlanbek Mataliev in the quarter-finals.

Maratib’s bronze came on a mixed day for Pakistan at the Games when there was a crushing victory for the squash team but the volleyball and baseball teams were beaten by their Japanese counterparts.

The trio of Danish Atlas Khan, Nasir Iqbal and Farhan Zaman were at their brilliant best as Pakistan began the defence of their squash team gold with a 3-0 thumping of Qatar at the Yeorumul Squash Courts.

Danish was in a devastating mood as he took the first game 11-3 against Khalid Abdul Wahab Al Ishaq in a mere six minutes with attacking strokes, backhand drives and drops.

It took another four minutes for him to race into a 2-0 lead when he won the second game 11-2 before wrapping up the match without dropping a point in an 11-0 romp in the final game.

The 42-ranked Nasir, who lost in the quarter-finals of the individual event, tamed Mohammad Abdullah Al Tamim 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 in 25 minutes before Farhan beat Sarhan Al Mehawesh 11-8, 11-2, 11-8 to ensure Pakistan got off to a winning start in Group ‘A’.

Pakistan’s women’s team, meanwhile, open their Group ‘B’ campaign against arch-rivals India on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s volleyball team, though, crashed out of the Games despite a valiant performance against Japan before they went down 23-25, 23-25, 23-25 for their second successive defeat in Group ‘B’.

At the Ansan Sangroksu Gymnasium, Pakistan captain Naseer Ahmed produced a gallant display but his efforts went in vain as his side were undone by the defending champions following their defeat to Kuwait in their opening match.

BLAME THE BALL

Naseer said his team had never played with the ball being used at the Games which created problems for his side.

“We had problems in reception with this ball,” he said. “However, we adjusted well today than our first game which reflects on the score-line.”

Naseer mustered 19 points in an exciting one hour-16 minute contest with Mohammad Ismail Khan (11 points), Nasir Khan (8), Mohib Rasool and Syed Shuja Abbas (both 7) providing him excellent support.

Japan’s Yu Koshinkawa was architect of his team’s triumph, collecting a whopping 20 points.

With their superb smashing and blocking, Pakistan raced into a 9-6 lead in the first game but Japan hit back to draw first blood after 25 minutes.

The second game, lasting 26 minutes, was also keenly contested but Japan showed exactly why they are the reigning champions by edging Pakistan once again before wrapping up the contest by winning the third game.

“Japan are a world-class team,” Naseer, whose side face Saudi Arabia in a meaningless final fixture on Friday, said. “But our players put up a creditable show which is an encouraging sign.”

While the volleyball teams fought out a close contest, the baseball match between Pakistan and Japan was a completely one-sided one with the latter winning 9-1 at the Munhak Baseball Stadium.

Pakistan’s fortunes didn’t get any better at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range either.

Zeeshan-ul-Farid finished 38th, five places above team-mate Umar Siddique, in the 10m air rifle qualification which saw 53 competitors take part.

Ghulam Mustafa Bashir’s cumulative score of 280 saw him take 17th place amongst 24 shooters in the qualification for the 25m rapid fire pistol event.

Over in the pool, Mohammad Saad finished sixth in his 50m freestyle heat with a time of 26.20 — 1.41 seconds behind top-finisher Pok Lao Wong of Macau.

Also at the Munhak Park Tae-Hwan Aquatics Centre, Pakistan’s Areeba Shaikh ended fifth in the women’s 50m backstroke heat while her compatriot Soha Sanjrani did not start the 100m butterfly heat.

Pakistan’s women’s cricket team, meanwhile, begin the defence of their gold from the last Games when they take on Thailand in the quarter-final on Thursday.

The team arrived in Incheon on Monday night before undergoing a three-hour practice session on Tuesday and captain Sana Mir was conficdent of her team’s chances.

“Our main competition will be against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,” she said, before adding that the recent tour of Australia had “toughened the team”.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2014