PWF finalises wrestlers for Commonwealth Games

By our correspondent

LAHORE: Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) have finalised five grapplers for the Commonwealth Games while the decision of one wrestler is yet pending.
The wrestlers were selected for the quadrennial event during trials held at Lahore on Saturday.
The PWF conducted trials in six weight categories. Those who were finalised included Mohammad Asad (57kg), Inayatullah (65kg), Sharif Tahir (74kg), Mohammad Inam (86 kg) and Zaman Anwar (125 kg). However, the federation is yet to finalise a wrestler in the 96kg. Tayyab Raza and young Haider Ali competed for a slot in this weight but the federation said that the final decision was yet pending.
“The decision is yet pending because of some points issues. We have forwarded the case to the world body’s referees,” a senior official of PWF  said.
In the 57kg Asad shocked the experienced Mohammad Bilal in the trials. Bilal, who is the cousin of Mohammad Inam, had claimed bronze in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Asad will make his international debut during the Commonwealth Games slated to be held in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.
Inyatullah is a well-known name who also has to his credit Youth Olympics bronze medal.
In the 74kg Sharif Tahir, a rookie wrestler, has been able to win a slot for the Birmingham event. He will also make his international debut.
The country’s premier grappler Mohammad Inam, as usual, did well in trials and he will defend the 86kg title during Birmingham event.
Inam has to his credit golds in the 2010 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. He is a big gold hope for Pakistan. Zaman Anwar is also experienced wrestler and he can also win medal in Birmingham. As many as six wrestlers and two officials will represent Pakistan’s wrestling in the Birmingham event in which the country will feature overall in 14 sports disciplines.
Meanwhile three wrestlers including Mohammad Bilal, Mohammad Inam and Inayatullah will also feature in the Asian Championship slated to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from April 19-24.
The PWF vice-president Arshad Sattar said that the wrestlers were likely to leave for Mongolia on April 6 or 7.
“They will go early and will also undergo a 15-day training there,” Arshad said.
National grapplers are currently undergoing training at the PSB Coaching Centre in Lahore with the assistance of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
And Arshad said that training is going well.
“It’s going well and wrestlers have started coming into top shape,” Arshad said.
“Our focus is on six wrestlers and in three months results will start emerging,” Arshad said.
As per rules if any wrestler gets injured then the PWF can replace him with another wrestler until May 15 which is the last date for finalising entry by name. “After that there will be no such facility,” the official said. Arshad was happy that the PSB is looking after the wrestlers quite well. “Now things have started improving. The diet of the wrestlers is also quite good,” Arshad said.
The PWF is also interested in hiring a foreign coach ahead of the Commonwealth Games. “Yes, we are interested and we have told the PSB about that,” Arshad said.
Arshad said that effort will also be made to send the final lot abroad for training. “Yes it is in the plans as now there is no such issue of covid-19 and foreign training is necessary,” the official said..
Arshad said that in Ramadan wrestlers will train in the night. “Yes, they will train before sehri and in the day they will take rest,” Arshad said.