KATHMANDU: Pakistan’s athletes, weightlifters and swimmers continued to make waves here on the penultimate day of the 13th South Asian Games by securing more medals at various disciplines of the mega event.
Pakistan’s weightlifters Talha Talib, Usman Rathore, Muhammad Hanzala Dastgir and Nooh Butt showed impressive skills to grab four more gold medals.
Hamid Ali, Pakistani judoka, won all the league matches against India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka to clinch a gold medal in the +100kg category.
Shah Hussain Shah, another prominent Pakistani judoka, also won all the league matches against India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka with full points to win another gold medal in the +100Kg category.
He consumed less than 10 seconds in beating all his opponents in each of his fights. In -90kg judo contests, Qaiser Khan won a silver medal when he lost to India’s martial artist.
In swimming, Bisma Khan won a silver medal while in boxing, Sanaullah bagged silver medal in 91 category after he lost the final fight to Indian boxer. Meanwhile, in squash, Pakistan team earned back to back victories over hosts Nepal, Sri lanka and Bangladesh in the mens and women’s squash events respectively on Monday.
In the men’s event, Pakistan beat Nepal 3-0 as Farhan Mehboob beat Simha Arhanta 11-7, 11-5, 11-3, Asim Khan beat Magar Amrit Thapa 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 and Amaad Fareed beat Bhlon Amir 11-4, 11-1, 11-1 (14 mins).
They swatted aside Sri Lanka by the same margin with Asim beating Wakeel Mohomed Shamil 11-9, 11-3, 11-6, Amaad thrashing Perara Drunvinka (Sr) 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 and Farhan Mehboob overwhelming Holipitige Ravindu Hashintha (Sr) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5.
It was a similarly straightforward win over Bangladesh as Tayyab Aslam blanked Sumon Md 11-8, 11-9, 11-9, Asim beat Raju Sri Kumar 11-8, 11-1, 11-1 and Farhan cruised past Debnath Runny 11-4, 11-2, 11-3.
In the women’s event, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 2-1: Faiza Zafar (Pak) beat Issadeen Fathoum (Sr) 3-1, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 (40 mins; Madina Zafar (Pak) beat Karuppu Yeheni (Sr) 3-0, 11-1, 11-2, 11-6 (20 mins); Amna Fayyaz (Pak) lost Arachchige Mihiliya (SR) 0-3, 7-11, 8-11, 9-11 (21 mins).
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2019
