KARACHI, Aug 16: After undergoing strenuous training under the guidance of foreign coaches and taking advantage of home conditions, hosts Pakistan surged to second slot behind regional powerhouse India in the 9th South Asian Games held at Islamabad from Mar 29 to April 7, 2004.

Though Pakistan made amends of their pathetic performance earlier, the difference of medals between the two traditional rivals was quite visible. India amassed 103-57-32 medals whereas Pakistan’s final tally stood at 38-55-50, four golds fewer than the 1989 fourth edition held at Islamabad.

In fact, Pakistan had earned 41 golds but its three weightlifters — Akbar Ali, Alimudin Kakar and Hasan Aslam — were stripped of their medals after they were found guilty of taking banned steroids for muscle-building. Doping was conducted at the SA Games for the first time ever.

Afghanistan, included into the fold of South Asian Sports Federation (SASF) in 2003, made its debut in the sporting spectacle which was earlier postponed three times for varying reasons.

The games were contested in 15 disciplines — athletics, badminton, boxing, football, kabaddi, karate, rowing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, tae kwon do, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling. Women competed in six disciplines.

They were preceded by change of guard in Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) as Lt. Gen Syed Arif Hasan was elected as the new POA president on March 11. Prior to the elections, he was nominated head of the organising committee.

Earlier, the government floated Hero Card in the market which yielded close to a billion rupees.

Boxing, karate, rowing, athletics and football were the five disciplines which together fetched 28 gold medals. Shooting (2), squash (2), tae kwon do (1), weightlifting (2) and wrestling (3) completed the Pakistan’s tally.

Pakistan, once considered a force to be reckoned with in athletics at Asian level, grabbed five gold in the men’s track and field through Atta Miran (1500m); Noushad Khan (5,000m); Abdul Rasheed (110m hurdles); Allah Ditta (400m hurdles) and Nadeem Ahmed (hammer throw).

The women athletes failed to match the brilliance of their Indian and Sri Lankan counterparts and the final outcome was just one silver and three bronze by a strong 26-member squad.

Pakistani shuttlers lacked the grit as India swept seven golds up for grabs in badminton.

The pugilists taught a lesson to their opponents when they came out worthy winners with a harvest of nine of the total 11 golds in different weights. The proud winners were Shoaib Rasheed (flyweight); Mehrullah (bantamweight); Sohail Ahmed (featherweight); Sajjad Raja (lightweight); Faisal Karim (welterweight); Nisar Ahmed (Light middleweight); Ahmed Ali (middleweight); Shoukat Ali (heavyweight) and Muzaffar Iqbal (super heavyweight).

In a nerve-tingling final, Pakistan beat India by a solitary goal to re-capture the prized soccer gold. Abdul Aziz scored the decisive goal. However, the hosts went down to arch rivals in kabaddi to settle for silver.

Karatekas were impressive on the floor as oarsmen in the water. Karate earned the country seven golds through Shah Mohammad (U-55kg); Abdul Raziq (U-65kg); Aga Mohammad (U-70kg); Humayun Mustafa (U-75kg); Farman Ahmed (U-80kg); Ghulam Ali (individual kata) and team kata.

Rowing fetched six golds and those who stand tall includes Mohammad Akram (single sculls lightweight and open); Zahid Ali-Zohaib Zia (double sculls lightweight); Afzal-Azmat (double sculls open); besides the team of coxless four (lightweight and open).

The marksmen came out with lack lusture performance picking up only two golds in individual and team skeet as India ruled with 17 golds. As for the women, Pakistan was no match to India merely getting two silvers and three bronze.

Pakistan and India finished on even keel in squash with the hosts pocketing 2-2-2 in the men’s while their arch rivals did the same in women’s event. In a tooth and nail clash, Mansoor Zaman beat Shahid Zaman 3-9, 9-6, 0-9, 9-4, 10-9 to claim the men’s individual title. Mansoor later teamed up with Farrukh Zaman to bag men’s team crown.

The swimmers again disappointed the followers when they ended the men’s event with 0-6-7 and women’s 0-7-7.

Indian peddlers swept the ping pong event with 7-5-0 leaving just two silvers and three bronze for Pakistan.

Faisal Mahmood won the lone gold for his country in welterweight of tae kwon do whereas the women ended with just two bronze.Trained by Bulgarian coach Pakistani spikers squandered 2-1 lead only to lose 2-3 to India and settle for the silver in volleyball.

Weightlifting and Wrestling yielded five golds. The recipients of gold medals in weightlifting were Shujauddin Malik (up to 85kg) and Sajjad Amin (up to 105kg) and wrestling M. Ali (74kg), M. Usman (84kg) and M. Umar (96kg).

Final medals table

India 103 57 32

Pakistan 38 55 50

Sri Lanka 17 32 57

Nepal 7 6 20

Bangladesh 3 13 24

Afghanistan 1 3 28

Bhutan 1 3 2

Maldives - - -

Pakistan face an uphill task to better or to repeat last performance as the 10th SA Games returns to Colombo after 15 years where it runs from Aug 18 to 28.

Pakistan will feature in all 19 disciplines. Cycling, judo, wushu and archery have been added to the events that took place at Islamabad. A strong contingent comprising 375 athletes and officials will be there to prove their mettle.

To think conquering Indian supremacy will be asking for a moon. The fight for second place is likely to be between Pakistan and the hosts Sri Lanka. The latter will be dark horse at home as they did in 1991.

Pakistan cannot survive on history alone. Their athletes have to justify that enormous amount spend by government to hone them was in the right direction or not.

(Concluded)