SHILLONG: Three Pakis­tani women made history this weekend as they stepped into the boxing ring at the South Asian Games in India, the first time the country has fielded women boxers internationally.

Khoushleem Bano, Rukhsana Parveen and Sofia Javed said they had to overcome the odds to achieve their dream of competing at the international level.

“It was not an easy path for us when we shared our idea of women taking up the macho sport. There were a lot of anti-groups who didn’t accept us,” the 23-year-old Khoushleem said.

Khoushleem’s hopes of winning a medal were cut short on Saturday night when she lost her first fight to Nepal’s Minu Gurung in the fly-weight (51kg) category.

“It was a good experience for me. I will come back stronger next time,” she said.

Sofia took to the ring for the first time on Sunday against India’s Pooja Rani in the 75kg category, while Rukhsana gloved up against Sri Lanka’s M. Vidushika Prabadhi with both of them losing.

The trio only took up boxing in early 2015 and have been trained by their coach Nauman Karim — a bronze medallist at the 2003 World Boxing Championship — for the South Asian Games.

They credit India’s Mary Kom, a five-time world champion who is also competing at the 12th South Asian Games, including a biographical film of the Olympic bronze medallist as inspiring them to take up the sport.

“My only dream was to represent Pakistan. I only want to make my country proud in the field of the sport. I have achieved the first step despite all odds,” Khoushleem said.

Rukhsana was formerly a member of the Pakistan World Cup team for Indian wresting-style sport kabaddi, with the team winning bronze in 2014.

The 60kg category boxer from Multan in Punjab province said she took up the challenge after learning that Pakistan “had no woman boxers”.

Pakistan’s men’s boxers, though, had better fortunes in the ring with Mohibullah setting up a final against India’s L Devendro Singh in the 49kg category after overcoming Sharifi Farhad of Afghanistan 3-0.

Ahmed Tanveer advanced to the 75kg final after he beat Bhutan’s Tashi Norbu by the same scoreline while Mohammad Syed Asif overpowered Ishan Sanjeewa Bandara of Sri Lanka in the 52kg semi-final.

In the 60kg semi-finals, Ahmed Ali beat another Sri Lankan — Gayan Sanjeeva — 2-1.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2016