Pakistan's Anum Bandey competes in a heat of the women's 400-meter individual medley at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. -Photo by AP

Anum Bandey broke her Pakistan record at the Aquatic Centre in London today, competing in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley, but bowed out of the Olympic Games after falling short of a place in the final.

The 15-year-old Bandey, who along with runner Rabia Ashiq was the only other female participant from Pakistan, competed in the first heat of the event this morning but her time of 5.34.64 saw her finish fourth out of the four in her race.

Her time, however, was over two seconds quicker than her qualifying effort (5.37.11), meaning the teenager set a new national record.

“You can learn a lot from here. I have learnt a lot from the older athletes. I am still young - I’m 15,” she said while talking to Northern Echo.

On competing in her first Olympic Games, she added: “It was amazing. I was really nervous at the start.

“I had to break the national record which I did but I have been preparing for a year and to compete with all of these amazing athletes is an amazing experience.

“It’s one I will remember for a long time.”

Opinion

Editorial

Impending slaughter
Updated 07 May, 2024

Impending slaughter

Seven months into the slaughter, there are no signs of hope.
Wheat investigation
07 May, 2024

Wheat investigation

THE Shehbaz Sharif government is in a sort of Catch-22 situation regarding the alleged wheat import scandal. It is...
Naila’s feat
07 May, 2024

Naila’s feat

IN an inspirational message from the base camp of Nepal’s Mount Makalu, Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani stressed...
Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
Updated 06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

If the judiciary had the power to self-regulate, it ought to have exercised it instead of involving the legislature.