ISLAMABAD - Army and Wapda were closely fighting to win the 49th National Athletics Championship-2018 (Men & Women) here at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex on Saturday.
Army are still heading in the men’s medals tally while Wapda are running away in the women’s category.
KP Minister Atif Khan Khan graced the occasion as chief guest. Pakistan Athletics Federation president Maj Gen (R) Akram Sahi, secretary M Zafar and Islamabad Athletics Association president Brig (R) Sultan Satti were also present on the grand opening ceremony.
KP Senior Minister for Sports, Culture said: “Our government’s top most priority is sports, as majority of youth supports PTI. Due to law and order situation, we can’t pay much attention towards sports but in next two to three months we will properly organise sports events especially in KP and next time we will host national athletics championship in Peshawar.”
It was a neck and neck contest for the 100m hurdles. The current national champion Maria Mratab of Wapda was almost certain to grab the gold for Army but when the contest started things were completely changed. In fact, Maria was second best in the majority of 100m hurdles and it was the sensational run of Wapda’s Ghazala Ramazan, who almost stole the show right under the nose of Maria. But experience counted in the end and Maria edged out Ghazala by a whisker of seconds to retain her crown. Sherish of HEC got bronze. In the men’s 110m hurdles, in the absence of PAF’s international fame athlete M Sajjad who had left athletics, it was anybody’s gold. M Naeem took full advantage of the situation and grabbed gold for Army. He was closely followed by M Nawaz of Wapda (silver) and Sadam Hussian of Army (bronze).
In the other competitions, in 20km walk race, Faizan Khan of Army won gold, Qasim Faiz of Army silver and M Ghuffran of Wapda bronze. In 10000m men’s race, Rameez Javed Mirza of Army won gold, Sohail Amir of Wapda silver and M Ijaz of Army bronze. In 400m hurdles females, national record holder and champion Najma Parveen once again proved her mettle as she won gold for Wapda. It was one two for Wapda as Musarat Shaheen got silver and Army’s Shela Manzoor grabbed bronze. In 100m women race, the golden girl, Rabia Ashiq of Wapda, who had already won two gold’s medals on the opening day, won gold, followed by Samabia Naureen of Wapda (silver) and Saba Yousaf of HEC (bronze). In the long jump men, Shoaib Khan of Wapda won gold, Adnan Jhangir of Wapda silver and Hafiz Ibrar Hussain of Army bronze. In the 400m hurdles men, the national champion and the international medal hope, Mehboob Ali of Army won gold, M Nadeem of Army silver and Ameer Ali of PAF bronze. In the 5km walk race for women, Kanwal Fiaz of Army won gold, Nima Javed of Army silver and Farhat Batool of Railways bronze.
In the Discus throw (men), Shamas-ul-Haq won first gold for PAF, Ali Mehtab of Wapda got silver and Asmatullah of Army bronze. In the men’s pole vault, Rehan Anjum of Army won gold, Ful Fraz of Army silver and M Ismail of Wapda bronze. In shot put, Shafaqat Ali, Wapda won gold, Jamshed Ali, Army silver and M Waseem also Army bronze, in 400m race men, Mehboob Ali the champion of Army once again left his opponents way behind to grab gold, Abdul Moeed, Sindh won silver and Umar Saddat, Wapda bronze, in 400m women race, Sahib-e-Asra of Wapda added another gold, Najma Parveen also Wapda silver and Aneela Gulzar, HEC bronze, in high jump, women, Rubab, HEC won gold, Rahana Zaman, Wapda silver and Maria MAratab, Army bronze, in triple jump women, Maria Maratab, Army won gold, Amna Saraj, Wapda silver and Nazish, HEC bronze, in 800m men, national champion, Muhamamd Ikram, Wapda won gold, Waqas Akbar, Army silver and Mazhar Ali, Army bronze.