LAHORE, Aug 10: Pakistan is hoping to clinch gold medals in hockey, football, and volleyball in the forthcoming 10th South Asian Games in Colombo, Sri Lanka from Aug 15 to 27.

Pakistan will be fielding ‘A’ team in the hockey competition. The officials are hopeful of winning the gold at the Games where archrivals India will be the only tough opposition.

"I am very much optimistic of winning gold medal in the forthcoming Games as team is quite capable of beating India 'A',” Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Akhtarul Islam said.

Hockey has been included in the games for the second time.

Similarly, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is also eyeing gold medal under the Bahraini coach Salman Ahmad Sharida.

"According to the feedback from the training camp, Sharida has been giving tough training to the players. I am quite hopeful the team will retain the gold medal," PFF secretary Arshad Lodhi said.Pakistan won the gold after beating India 1-0 under Chinese coach in Islamabad in the last edition in 2004.

Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) is also optimistic of winning the gold.

"India are our main rivals but Pakistan have defeated them twice this year. The team now appears confident of clinching the gold medal," the PVF secretary Maj (retd) Muhammad Afzal said.

Pakistan defeated India in the Central Asian contest in Sri Lanka early this year and recently in Al-Rashid tournament in UAE. India will be defending their title at the Games.

Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) secretary, Khalid Mahmood claimed athletes would grab four gold medals, seven silver and 10 bronze medals.

At the last edition, Pakistan won five gold medals, eight silver and 12 bronze medals.

"The number of medals we are now expecting is less to what we won last time. But being realistic, we have set a modest target keeping in view strength of India and Sri Lanka," Khalid said.

However, there are little hopes of clinching gold in badminton, says Naqi Mohsin, technical director Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF).

"India and Sri Lanka have very good players and we are pinning hopes only on national champion Wajid Ali. So it’s hard to predict gold medal,” he said, adding that the players would try to grab at least a silver.

The Games organisers have decided to give bronze medal to both the third and fourth teams without holding a third-position match.

Pakistan Weightlifting Federation secretary Hafiz Imran Butt, hopes to claim four gold medals as against two gold, three silver medals Pakistan won at the last edition.

Pakistan had won four gold medals at last edition but lost two medals after Ali Akbar and Alam Zeb were tested positive for using drugs.

Pakistan Wrestling Federation secretary Mohammad Asghar was hopeful of winning four gold medals, but refused to identify the wrestlers who could win the medals.

Karatekas will face a challenge to defend seven gold medals which they earned at last edition. "The competition is tough but we are expecting to clinch more gold medals than last time," Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) secretary Jehangir Ahmed said.

Although Pakistan Judo Federation secretary Naveed Mahmood was hopeful of a good performance, he avoided predicting the number of medals in judo. Pakistan will be competing for the first time in judo at the Games, fielding both men and women.

Iftikhar Ahmad, the president of the Wushu federation, was hopeful of a good show by men, but was not optimistic about the performance by women.

Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) Khwaja Idrees avoided predicting results, saying it would be difficult to say anything since cycling had been included for the first time.

Pakistan has bright chances to make a clean sweep in squash, while boxers and shooters are also expected to win medals.

Pakistan contingent will reach Colombo in two groups. The first group departs on Aug 13, while second on Aug 16.