Pakistan had stable stints in wrestling within the Asian Video games within the first three a long time of the quadrennial extravaganza. Pakistan final received medals within the 1986 Seoul Asian Video games. And since then the nation has been struggling to return to the medal fold within the continent’s largest occasion.
Earlier than discussing the nation’s possibilities within the 19th Asian Video games in Hangzhou later this summer time it will be vital to relate Pakistan’s achievements in wrestling till the 1986 Asian Video games.
After lacking the 1951 Delhi Asian Video games through which simply eight nations took half, Pakistan had a sensible debut in wrestling within the 1954 Manila Asian Video games. Din Mohammad was the primary wrestler of the nation who received gold for Pakistan within the flyweight class. Abdur Rasheed claimed silver within the welterweight division whereas Mohammad Amin (bantam weight) and Mohammad Ashraf (light-weight) received bronze medals.
Within the 1958 Tokyo Asian Video games Pakistan received three silvers by Mohammad Akhtar, Siraj Uddin and Mohammad Nazir and two bronze by Siraj Uddin and Mohammad Bashir.
Within the 1962 Jakarta Asian Video games wrestling had an excellent run for Pakistan because the nation lifted three gold, seven silver and 4 bronze medals. Faiz Mohammad, Mohammad Niaz and Mohammad Saeed clinched golds. Siraj Uddin claimed one silver in freestyle and one in Greco Roman and Mohammad Akhtar additionally accomplished the double by taking one silver every in freestyle and Greco Roman and Mohammad Bashir additionally emerged as runner-up within the welterweight freestyle and Greco Roman. Mohammad Saeed received the seventh silver which Pakistan lifted within the heavyweight. Ghulam Rasool took bronze medals in each the freestyle and Greco Roman.
The opposite two bronze got here by Captain Faiz Mohammad and Mohammad Niaz within the middleweight Greco Roman and lightweight heavyweight freestyle.
Within the 1966 Bangkok Asian Video games, Mohammad Bashir received gold within the welterweight division whereas Mohammad Saeed snared silver within the heavyweight class.
Within the 1970 Bangkok Asian Video games, Pakistani wrestlers Sardar Mohammad (bantamweight) and Naib Subedar Maroof Khan (tremendous heavyweight) claimed bronze medals.
Within the 1974 Tehran Asian Video games, Subedar Maroof Khan clinched bronze within the tremendous heavyweight.
Within the 1978 Bangkok Asian Video games, Pakistan received one silver and three bronze. Mohammad Azeem received silver within the 57kg whereas Abdul Waheed (62kg), Salah Uddin (100kg) and Javed Iqbal (+100kg) received bronze every.
Within the 1986 Seoul Asian Video games, Pakistan received one gold and it was Abdul Majeed who snared it within the 90kg and lifted silver in 100kg by Shahid Butt.
Now we come to Pakistan’s future possibilities and its participation within the Hangzhou Asian Video games wrestling occasion. The nation will discipline 4 wrestlers within the Hangzhou occasion. They’re Mohammad Bilal, Inayatullah, Zaman Anwar and Haider Ali who earned China tickets after they conquered their opponents within the trials carried out at Lahore ‘s Punjab Faculty Corridor on July 5. The premier wrestler Mohammad Inam didn’t attend the trials. He desires to deal with the World Championships and ANOC World Seashore Video games through which he’ll defend his title. He had additionally missed the 2018 Indonesia Asian Video games attributable to health points.
Within the 57 kilogramme, Mohammad Bilal, who’s the cousin of Mohammad Inam, downed Tariq Mehmood of Military and Mohsin Ali of WAPDA to win the Asian Video games seat.
The Youth Olympics bronze medallist Inayatullah, who belongs to Peshawar, was fortunate to topple the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Video games silver medallist Sharif Tahir within the 74 kilogramme weight class to earn an Asian Video games berth. Inayat was dropping the sport however a takedown of Sharif Tahir within the final three seconds of the pulsating battle enabled him to verify his seat in Pakistan’s Asian Video games squad. Earlier in his first battle Inayatullah defeated Asadullah of Military, who’s the nationwide champion.
Within the 86 kilogramme, Haider Ali, who was a part of Pakistan’s squad for the 2022 Islamic Video games in Turkey, beat reigning nationwide champion Luqman to earn an Asian Video games berth.
Within the 125 kilogramme, reigning Rustam-e-Pakistan and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Video games silver medallist Zaman Anwar was in a position to succeed. He first conquered Mohammad Awais of Military after which whacked Shahwar Tahir of Railways to make it to the nation’s Asian Video games squad. These are Pakistan’s high selections however the Asian Video games is a troublesome occasion because the world’s greatest belong to this a part of the world. Pakistan will want high preparation for the occasion. There are possibilities that Afghanistan will ship their wrestling squad to Lahore for a joint coaching and competitions with Pakistan’s high lot. If it occurs it’s going to assist each nations to organize for the Asian Video games through which Pakistan has not received a medal within the final 37 years.
Ask Pakistan coach Ghulam Fareed and he’ll let you know in regards to the nation’s medal possibilities in wrestling on this summer time’s Hangzhou Asian Video games. “There’s a medal hope particularly from Bilal and Inayatullah,” Fareed advised ‘The Information on Sunday’ (TNS). “So far as Haider is anxious, he’s the most effective in Pakistan; he misplaced twice to Inam previously after giving him a troublesome time nevertheless it is dependent upon attracts additionally. We additionally anticipate a effective show from Zaman, who’s an skilled campaigner,” Fareed mentioned. “When you see the outcomes of the final Asian Championship, Bilal and Inayatullah had been within the fifth and sixth positions in Asia. If we go systematically and analyse issues then we’ll discover that there are possibilities that we can elevate medals within the Asian Video games. We now have extra possibilities within the 57kg and 74kg,” Fareed mentioned.
“If we return to Mongolia and Kazakhstan Asian Championships Bilal had received major fights earlier than dropping carefully to Iranian to complete fifth. Inayat additionally completed fifth within the final Asian Championship. If we work laborious we can win medals within the Asian Video games inshaAllah,” Fareed mentioned.
Pakistan’s three high wrestlers Mohammad Inam, Mohammad Bilal and Inayatullah may also attend a ten-day coaching camp in Belgrade, Serbia, simply earlier than the World Championships in September, just a few days earlier than the Asian Video games.The camp might be held from September 5-15 and Pakistan squad might be given free lodging for the aim as it’s sponsored by the United World Wrestling (UWW).
The World Championships which might be held in Belgrade, Serbia, from September 16-24 may also function a qualifying spherical for subsequent yr’s Paris Olympics.