LAHORE: Pakistan No.2 and Asian bronze medallist javelin thrower Mohammad Yasir Sultan was on Wednesday seen working hard here at the Punjab Stadium under his coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari to prepare for the Asian Games to be held later this month in Hangzhou, China.
He looked determined to leave an impression in the Asian Games. The Asiad will also offer an opportunity to Yasir to book a seat in the next year's Paris Olympics. If he is successful, he will be the second Pakistani athlete to earn direct qualification to the world's most prestigious event.
He will have to manage an 85.50metre throw if he is to make it to the Olympics. In the Asian Championship in Bangkok recently, Yasir managed his personal best throw of 79. 93 metre in his sixth attempt which earned him bronze. But this time he plans to take a solid start and then build on it, a strategy which may keep him mentally strong in the event.
"I will try my level best this time to take a good start and it can then help me to finish well," Yasir told The News in an interview. "If you take a bad start it mentally unsettles you and it becomes difficult for you to finish well. This time my plan is to take a fine start and produce my personal best until the sixth and final throw,” said Yasir, also a WAPDA athlete.
“I am working hard and also feel very well. Hopefully it will be a good stint in China," Yasir said. He said that his coach Fayyaz Bukhari is working on his weak areas, adding hopefully it would eventually help him produce the desired results. "The coach has a big hand in an athlete’s development; he is the only person who can make you hero from zero. I give credit to my coach who focused on me and has worked with sincerity and God will reward us,” Yasir said. He is eager to achieve the Olympics standard at all cost. “You know Asian Games are a major event and I will try to pull off my best in this event. My desire is to make it to the Olympics and obviously if I manage a throw within that range it will help me claim a medal. And it will be a dream come true if I also qualify for the Olympics,” Yasir said.
India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra's presence in the Asian Games will be a huge motivation for Yasir and the athlete is desperately looking to play with him. “I am really excited and want to play with Neeraj Chopra and perform. The other Indians are also better than me but I will try my level best to deliver in the Asian Games,” Yasir said.
He defines fitness as the key component in an athlete's development. “Fitness matters a lot. If you are seventy percent fit you will deliver. I apply this thing to myself and I believe in fitness besides the techniques which are also very important but the main component is fitness and if you have that you can then give your hundred percent,” Yasir said. A few days ago, Yasir developed some stomach problem which disturbed his preparation for some time but now he is fit.
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News