KARACHI: Emerging shooter K.G. Bashir is Pakistan’s medal hope in the forthcoming Asian Games, an official of the National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) said on Wednesday.

“Highly talented Bashir achieved impressive scores of between 588 to 529 out of 600 in centre-fire pistol event,” said NRAP executive vice-president Razi Ahmed Khan while announcing a 13-member Pakistan shooting squad for the Asian Games being staged in the South Korean city of Incheon from Sept 19 to Oct 4.

“Bashir is producing excellent show during the practice sessions, and I think if he maintains his rhythm and absorbs international pressure [in Incheon] he can strike a medal for Pakistan,” hoped Razi, adding that if Bashir handled pressure well he was even capable of taking top position at Incheon Games.

Presently, Bashir is country’s national champion in rapid-fire and centre-fire pistol events.

The Incheon-bound Pakistan squad also includes triple Olympian Khurram Inam.

Khurram, who finished 23rd in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, also featured in the 2004 Athens and 2012 London Olympics.

In all, eleven shooters including two women along with two officials will be representing Pakistan in the continental extravaganza.

The selected shooters are currently undergoing extensive training at Pakistan Navy’s International Shooting Range.Squad:

Pistol: Kaleemullah, K.G. Bashir

Shotgun: Khurram Inam, Usman Chand, Col. Fakhar-ul-Islam, Maj Aamir Iqbal

Air pistol: Mehwish Maqsood, Nadra

Rifle: Siddique Umar, Ayaz Tahir, Zeeshan Khan

Coaches: Khalid Bin Anwar, Ghazanfar Abbas.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2014