ISLAMABAD   -  Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTWF) President Lt Col (r) Wasim Ahmed Janjua looks quite hopeful about Pakistani athlete’s chances in the World Taekwondo Championship, to be held from May 14 to 20 in Manchester, England, where 180 countries athletes will be in action.

Talking to The Nation, Col Wasim said: “By the grace of Almighty, Pakistan players have great record of winning medals in maximum international events. The world series will automatically part of preparations for the South Asian Games, which will be held in Nepal this year.”

He said: “Haroon Khan, UK-based Anila, Naqash Hamdani from Karachi, Rabnawaz and Shahzaib, all these athletes are very talented. Haroon has shown tremendous skills in the Asian Games and was unlucky not to win the quarterfinal fight. But one has to admit that Asian Games are mini-Olympics for all the giants in Asia i.e. China, Iran, Chinese Taipei, Korea. They all prepare round the years just to get their best in Asia.

“Although our athletes didn’t win medals in Asian Games, yet they showed their immense potential and fought with lot of courage. If they are provided with international-standard training, like we had foreign coach Lee, who in 6 months completely turned the fortunes of our athletes, but unfortunately, he had to go back due to non-availability of funds. We were paying him $2,000 monthly, while he was getting $4,000 now.

“Lee is still ready to come back and train Pakistani athletes, as he believes Pakistani athletes are highly talented and with proper diet and modern-day training, they can upset any top given player. This feeling is beyond expression, as I worked day and night to see our athletes shine on world horizon and when a top class coach is full of praise for your players, it means we are doing the things in right way,” he added.

Col Wasim said: “I had requested Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Acting Director General Arif Ibrahim for holding at least 40-day camp at PSB premises. If they can’t release grants, he is very kind and immediately ordered establishing of the camp. Without proper training and spending time in practising, no one can expect results.

“For last 18 months, the PSB had not released a single-penny’s financial grant. Without grant, it is almost impossible for us to run day-to-day affairs, hold national championships and send players abroad.

The last national championship was declared as one of the best by the Korean visiting delegation as we spent around Rs 13 million on it, where more than 14000 athletes participated in different categories,” he added.

He said if the government assures him of helping hand, he will bid for Junior Asian Taekwondo Championship as around Rs 30 million will be required for this purpose. “I can arrange funds too, as our chairman and Omar Saeed have promised to help in the best possible fashion. We badly need latest equipments, as the sensors and guards are outdated and had passed their lives as we purchased them in 2012.

“Last year, they had sent their representative, who free of cost updated the equipments, but reality is that these equipments had well passed their natural life. We need around Rs 7 million to purchase new equipments. I request IPC Minister to form a committee and order purchase of these equipments. I can challenge my players will win international gold medals.

“Next year in January, Haroon Khan will appear in the Olympics qualifiers and will have golden chances of qualifying directly to the biggest event on earth. We need long-term training camps and new equipment and if our players provided with these two things, they are more than capable of winning international medals for the country,” Col Wasim concluded.