PESHAWAR: Hosts Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got off to a flying start in the Inter-provincial Games grabbing 10 gold medals in Taekwondo and a team gold medal in the squash event by defeating a tough Punjab team in the finals.

KP also won nine silver and three bronze medals securing 256 points while Punjab gathered 156 points with three gold, nine silver and four bronze medals. Fata are third with 146 points after winning four gold, one silver and 16 bronze medals. Sindh are in fourth position with three gold, two silver and 10 bronze medals.

In the squash team event Komal Khan beat Noor-ul-Ain 11-6, 7-11, 11-8 and 12-10.

KP’s Nimra Aqeel lost to Aiman Shahbaz of Punjab in straight sets. The score was 11-6, 11-4 and 11-6.

Laiba Ijaz defeated Punjab’s top seed Sidqa in a thrilling 3-1 win. The score was 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 and 11-7.

In the individual event, Komal, the current Under-19 Champion defeated Noor-ul-Ain 11-8, 11-6 and 11-9 and moved to the final while Laiba lost 3-1 to Aiman Shahbaz in the semi-finals.

Komal defeated Noor-ul-Ain in the first semi-final and Aiman defeated Nimra in the quarter-finals.

Earlier, president Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Lt. Gen Arif Hassan formally inaugurated the Games during a colourful ceremony.

A total of 1700 athletes and more than 160 officials are taking part in 25 different disciplines of sport comprising archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, bodybuilding, gymnastics, handball, hockey, ju-jitsu, kabaddi, karate, rowing, rugby, softball, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, tug-of-war, volleyball and weightlifting with 11 disciplines for wome and 25 for men.

The colorful opening included a smart March Past with international medal-winning wrestler Inayat Ullah carrying the national flag, followed by a FC contingent holding the Olympic Flag.

Double gold medalist Khalid Noor formally flamed the Games’ torch.

Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad and Jammu Kashmir and Fata are featuring for the first time in the Games.

Lt. Gen Arif Hassan also lauded the KP government for approving a grant of more than Rs. 40 million for the organizing committee of the KP Olympic Association.

He said for the large interest of the promotion of sports in the country, the POA is keen to provide maximum participation opportunities to the youth of AJK and GB.

He urged upon Governor KP to extend support to Fata Olympic Association.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2018