Debuting women claim historic bronze

Pakistan’s first-ever women’s wrestlers contingent wins bronze

KARACHI: The greatest feat for Pakistan's participation in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games is probably that finally women wrestlers have made their international debut.

This is the first time Pakistan is fielding female wrestlers at an international event. And to top it off star Ambreen Masih won bronze in traditional women's wrestling in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, much to everybody’s pleasant surprise.

Both Ambreen and her sister Humaira Ashiq are part of the 18-member contingent for wrestling.

Ambreen won the bronze in the -75kg freestyle traditional wrestling, and according to the Pakistan Wrestling federation (PWF) there is more to come from the wrestlers.

"This is a huge achievement for us and for our women," PWF secretary Muhammad Arshad Sattar told The Express Tribune from Ashgabat. "This is the first time we even prepared women for the wrestling competitions and winning a medal, even if it is bronze, is big because they've taken it on the Asian level. This is no small feat. In fact, we are very impressed and we see this as a sign. We want to have women's national championships too. It’s all very promising."

Ambreen and her sister Humaira have also been South Asian Judo champions but this is one step further for them.

Meanwhile, on Monday, another wrestler Saeed Anwar also took the bronze medal in the -57 kg men's classic style wrestling improving Pakistan's medal tally to one gold medal, that was taken by ju-jitsu players Rafique Siddique and Shahzeb Nawaz Janjua in the men's duo show.

Pakistan now has five bronze medals, which places it fourth position in the overall ranking out of 15 countries.