ISLAMABAD: A fourteen-member Pakistan taekwondo team has been announced to represent the country in the 19th Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou (China) from September 23.
Out of fourteen, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) will sponsor 10 while the Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) will look after the traveling expenses of the rest of the four members.
According to the details available with The News, two officials, Lt Col (rtd) Raja Wasim Ahmad (President PTF) and Omar Saeed (CEO TF) trips will be self-sponsored.
Male athlete Mazhar Abbas and lady athlete Fateemah Tuz Zahraa will be sponsored by the taekwondo federation.
The PSB will sponsor ten athletes and officials. These include Yousef Karami (coach-from Iran), Saba Shamim (team head), Seongoh Choi (Korea-coach), and Najia Rasool (female coach).
Haroon Khan, Mohammad Arbaz Khan, Hamza Omar Saeed, Naqash Hamdani, Naila, and Aqdasullah Qadeer — all these six athletes will be sponsored by the PSB.
The fourteen-member squad includes six officials and eight athletes meaning only 55 percent of the contingent members will fight for medals at the Games. Pakistan have a remote chance of winning a medal at the Asian Games taekwondo event as they have never won any medal at the Asian Games level.
Considering the vast support from the Ministry and PSB in the shape of finances and camp training, it is hoped that the team will go on to make an impression at the 19th Asian Games.
As many as 13 gold medals will be at stake in the 19th Asian Games Taekwondo event to be staged at the competition to be held at the Lin’an Gymnasium Lin’an District.
Abdul Mohi Shah Abdul Mohi Shah is a senior reporter for The News