Record-breaking Karim wins gold in national championship

Having had experience from the Winter Games in India, Karim stuns 60 participants to bag gold in Giant Slalom.

KARACHI: Pakistan Air Force’s (Paf) Mohammad Karim stunned 60 other participants in the National Men’s Skiing Championship in Naltar as he won gold in the Giant Slalom.

Karim, the youngest skier to win gold in the category on debut in the championship, outran his elder brother and eight-time national champion Sher Afzal on the first day of the competition. Afzal – also the tournament favourite – secured silver for Paf while Abdul Baqi bagged bronze for Pakistan Army.

The championship is the biggest men’s event in the country and an opportunity for skiers to impress the Pakistan Skiing Federation (PSF) scouts and stake their claims on a chance to represent the country in international events. Karim, with his debut performance, achieved in doing exactly that.

“The biggest revelation of the tournament is Karim,” PSF Secretary Air Commodore Mussarat Ali told The Express Tribune. “He wanted to participate in the tournament last year but he couldn’t make it due to the age barrier. However, with such a stellar performance on the opening day, we’re expecting him to win more medals in the slalom, Super G and Down Hill skiing.”

Karim was also part of the 20-member Pakistan team that participated in the inaugural South Asian Winter Games held in India earlier this year.

With Karim’s gold medal in the event, Paf lead the championship with 80 points while Army follow with 60. Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts sit third on the table.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2011.