Gohar fails to reach 100m final despite his season best sprint
By our correspondent
LAHORE: It was a hard day for Pakistan’s athletes in the 19th Asian Games on Hangzhou, China, on Saturday.
At the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, in long jump Pakistan’s Mohammad Afzal flopped miserably as he finished at the 18th spot in the first round, featuring 20 jumpers. He recorded 6.73m jump.
In the women’s 100m hurdles Pakistan’s Ghazal Ramzan was eliminated when she clocked 15.43 seconds. She finished overall at the last 15th spot.
In the men’s 1500 metre first round, featuring 21 athletes, Waqas Akbar and Amir Sohail were also eliminated by finishing at the 15th and 17th place, respectively. Waqas clocked 3:58.10 while Amir inked 3:58.70.
As many as 21 athletes took part in the first round.
Pakistan’s fine sprinter Gohar Shahbaz, who had done a great job to qualify for the 100m semi-final on Friday, failed to advance to the final despite pulling off his season’s best time of 10.49. He finished seventh in his heat-1, carrying eight contestants, and overall ended at the 21st spot out of 24 sprinters who showcased their skills in the semi-finals.
In men’s pole vault final Pakistan’s Jaffar Ashraf failed to manage any successful attempt.
Meanwhile on Friday in the women’s 100m heats, featuring 25 athletes, Pakistan’s Arooj Kiran finished at the 17th place with a time of 12.04. It was also her personal best time. Tameen Khan ended at the 19th spot in the same event by clocking 12.42. In the men’s 100m heats, featuring 42 athletes, Pakistan’s Gohar Shahbaz qualified for the semi-finals by pulling off his season best time of 10.56. However the country’s top sprinter Shajar Abbas failed to advance with a time of 10.59 seconds.
In the women’s 400m heats Sahib-e-Asra clocked 55.18 second but failed to qualify for the final. She finished overall at the ninth spot out of 18 contestants. She ended third in her heat where top two had to advance.
Boxing: Pakistan’s third boxer Mohammad Qasim was also eliminated when he was undone by China’s Ping Lyu in the 51-57kg round of 16. The Chinese won the fight 5-0.
On Friday in the women’s 54-57kg preliminaries Fatima Zahra went down to Sitora Turdibekova0-5 and was eliminated.
Now the Asian bronze medallist Zohaib Rasheed is the only boxer left who will face an Uzbek in the 46-51 kg quarter-final on October 3.