Shining karate players to be sent abroad for training: Usman Anwar

Lahore: Government of Punjab will send the shining karate players abroad for further training and will extend every possible help to potential athletes, these views were expressed by Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of 23^rd National Men’s and 9^th Women Karate Championship at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium Hall on Thursday.

The 3-day National championship is being staged under the auspices of Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF). The teams from all the affiliated units of Pakistan Karate Federation – Wapda, Army, Police, Railways, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Islamabad and Fata are featuring in the National Karate Championship.

DG SBP Usman Anwar, who was the chief guest at the opening ceremony, encouraged the young players to do hard work and earn laurels for the motherland. “Pakistan is enriched with the plenty of sports potential and there’s no reason our athletes can’t win world titles in any sport,” he added. “Karate isn’t a new game for me. I have played top level karate for eight years and also got brown belt. I also represented Pakistan in many international karate events,” he revealed.

DG SBP Usman said: “It’s nice to see large number of young male and female players appearing in National Karate Championship. I would be glad to see these kids representing Pakistan in future,” he expressed his wish.

DG SBP asked the karate coaches and trainers to impart taekwondo training to young players besides shotokan. “Our players need to be given training of taekwondo flying kicks as well,” he urged.

Earlier, PKF Presidents M Jehangir  received DG SBP at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium Hall. All the participating teams and officials were also introduced to the chief guest. PKF Presidents M Jehangir and Andleeb Ahmar also addressed the opening ceremony and thanked DG SBP for extending top level facilities to participating teams. Later, DG SBP distributed prizes among the position holder teams.

 

Following are the results:

Men – Individual Kata:

Israrul Haq (Wapda) gold

M Sajjad (Army) silver

Qaiser Ali (Police) bronze

Sadaq Ali (Railways) bronze.

Team Kata:

Israrul Haq, Abdul Khaliq, Jawad (Wapda) gold

M Sajjad, Akhtar Muneer, Amir Abbas (Army) silver

Sadaq Ali, Asghar Ali, Shamas Ullah (Railways) bronze

Nauman Ahmed, Shaan, Ashfaq (Balochistan) bronze.

Women – Individual Kata

Shahida (Wapda) gold

Nazdana (Railways) silver

Arfa Farshad (Sindh) bronze

Mariyam Nasir (Police) bronze

Team Kata

Shahida, Naz Gull, Nargis (Wapda) gold

Iram, Gul Naz Aiman (Army) silver

Arfa, Nida, Beenaz (Sindh) bronze

Nazdana, Zahra, Shereen Gull (Railways) bronze.