Asif, Baloch, Hasan and Durani were the bests in the 33rd Pakistan National Games where women boxers also joined in five weight classes
The 33rd edition of the Pakistan National Games was held in the city of Peshawar which was a selection competition also for the upcoming major events to the South Asian Games and to the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event. Among Pakistan’s international level boxers Syed Muhammad Asif, Suleman Baloch, Mehmood-Ul-Hasan and Sanaullah Durani delivered the best performances in the National Games.
Pakistan’s best boxers have been preparing to the upcoming South Asian Games which will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on December and the multisport event is one of the most important ones in that region. Pakistan is aiming for final places and several medals in the upcoming South Asian Games to continue their strong performance in the region.
The women boxers could attend in five weight classes in the National Games at the very first time following their appearances in the National Championships. The first title of the women’s part of the National Games was achieved by their most experienced female boxer Razia Bano who competed also in the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. The Sindh-based boxer had a tough final but she defeated Malaika Zahid at the flyweight (51kg).
The further winners of the women’s part of the National Games are not enough experienced boxers yet but they had the fighting spirit to win their first big event in Pakistan. Hadia Kamal Khan (57kg), Mehreen (60kg), Tahira Warsi (75kg) and Shehnaz Kamal Khan (+81kg) are aiming to compete also in the international stage as well.
Jahanzaib Khan claimed several medals in the recent national events but Mohibullah Bacha dominated the light flyweight (49kg) in Pakistan. Wapda’s talent had strong skills this time to win the National Games and defeated his main rivals as Zakir Hussain and Navy’s Muhammad Daud Khan in the final.
Army’s Syed Muhammad Asif is a well-experienced boxer among the national team members who competed in the last editions of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games as well. The 26-year-old flyweight (52kg) boxer had four fights in the National Games and he won all of them unanimously including the final against Wapda’s Atta Ullah.
Wapda’s second gold medal was achieved by Naqeeb Ullah who had the great finish to beat his biggest national rival Niamat Ullah in the final of the bantamweight (56kg). Wapda’s Mohib Ullah had a tough quarter-final against Gul Muhammad but he survived those dangerous periods and finally claimed the gold medal of the lightweight (60kg) after beating Muhammad Ashraf by unanimous decision.
Suleman Baloch is only 22 but he has all of the experiences to beat his rivals in Pakistan and he claimed his next national gold medal in Peshawar winning all of his four tough fights. Army’s light welterweight (64kg) boxer was too smart in the semi-finals for Naqeeb Ullah and he was also motivated in the final against Navy’s Qadir Khan.
Army’s experienced international boxer Gul Zaib walked over to the gold medal of the welterweight (69kg) following his opponent Adnan Hassan was unable to box against him in the final of the National Games. Saif-Ul-Manam joined to the national team this year but he had enough skills to beat a more experienced rival Air Force’s Arshad Hussain in the final of the middleweight (75kg).
Air Force’s Mehmood-Ul-Hasan has got international experiences but his success in the semi-finals of the light heavyweight (81kg) over AIBA World Boxing Championships competitor and ASBC Asian Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Awais Ali Khan was a surprise. Following that success, Mehmood-Ul-Hasan was still enough fresh to beat also Wapda’s Niamat Ullah in the final of the Games.
Wapda’s heavyweight (91kg) No.1 Sanaullah Durani is member of the national team since 2014 who competed in the Asian Games and many other international events during his career therefore his success over Muhammad Irfan was not a surprise. The last gold medal of the Pakistan National Games was achieved by Army’s Ahmed Ali who succeeded in the final over Sindh’s Yasir Jameel Ansari.
List of the winners in the Pakistan National Games
Women’s 51kg: Razia Bano Women’s 57kg: Hadia Kamal Khan Women’s 60kg: Mehreen Women’s 75kg: Tahira Warsi Women’s +81kg: Shehnaz Kamal Khan Men’s 49kg: Jahanzaib Khan Men’s 52kg: Syed Muhammad Asif Men’s 56kg: Naqeeb Ullah Men’s 60kg: Mohib Ullah Men’s 64kg: Suleman Baloch Men’s 69kg: Gul Zaib Men’s 75kg: Saif-Ul-Manam Men’s 81kg: Mehmood-Ul-Hasan Men’s 91kg: Sanaullah Durani Men’s +91kg: Ahmed AliDon’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
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