First time in history: Two shooters given Olympic wild cards

Bashir, Minhal to represent Pakistan in Rio after IOC increases quota.

KARACHI: For the first time in Pakistan’s Olympic history, two shooters — Ghulam Mustafa Bashir and Minhal Sohail — have been given wild card entries to the upcoming Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) Secretary Javed Lodhi confirmed that the duo will be representing Pakistan at the August 5-21 mega-event and also revealed that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to award Pakistan another place on the quota following reallocation in the 25m rapid-fire pistol and 10m air rifle categories.

“Since 2000 we have been allocated just one spot, however, this year we have been allotted two places, which has never happened before,” Lodhi told The Express Tribune.

Previously Khurram Inam and Siddique Umer have represented Pakistan at the Games but this year two new faces will carry the Pakistan emblem. And Lodhi, defending the selection, explained that the players have been chosen following their impressive performances in international and national events this year.

“This time we have selected players who have been performing in the international as well as national competitions. Both the selected players have shown a good performance at recent events, hence their selection,” he said.

Bashir finished 16th in last year’s World Cup 4 and managed to grab 34th place at World Cup 1, while Minhal  stood 70th in World Cup 1 and 97th in World Cup 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2016.

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