Dream is to win world championship: Abbas
Asian karate gold medallist wants federation to start spending.
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s karate star Saadi Abbas wants to maintain his golden run on the international arena after bagging the South Asian and Asian Championships gold for the country.
With a sound start to his medals tally, the 23-year-old’s next target is the podium at the World Karate Championships in Paris.
The Dubai-based Abbas, who won the 67-kilogramme event at the Asian Karate Championship, has been representing the Al-Ahali Club at international club events.
He felt that in order to win the World Championships next year, the Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) will have to put in a lot of effort for its athletes.
“It took me almost four years to win the Asian Championship,” Abbas told The Express Tribune. “It’s been a slow but steady journey for me. I won the South Asian and the Asian events and now the dream is to win the world championship for me. But before that, I want the PKF to send me, as well as other athletes, to the British Open in October so all of us can gain more experience which will help us achieve our goals.”
According to Abbas, he had come a long way from his days in Lyari where he started taking karate lessons aged seven before moving to Dubai five years later.
“Representing Pakistan is the most important thing for me. I started training there and I’ll always come back to my roots whenever they need me. Since my dream is to win the world championships, I may quit the sport altogether after that.”
Abbas credited his performance at international events to the training he has been getting at the Al-Ahali Club, where he won the World Karate Federation Clubs World Cup in 2008 and 2010.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2011.
Pakistan’s karate star Saadi Abbas wants to maintain his golden run on the international arena after bagging the South Asian and Asian Championships gold for the country.
With a sound start to his medals tally, the 23-year-old’s next target is the podium at the World Karate Championships in Paris.
The Dubai-based Abbas, who won the 67-kilogramme event at the Asian Karate Championship, has been representing the Al-Ahali Club at international club events.
He felt that in order to win the World Championships next year, the Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) will have to put in a lot of effort for its athletes.
“It took me almost four years to win the Asian Championship,” Abbas told The Express Tribune. “It’s been a slow but steady journey for me. I won the South Asian and the Asian events and now the dream is to win the world championship for me. But before that, I want the PKF to send me, as well as other athletes, to the British Open in October so all of us can gain more experience which will help us achieve our goals.”
According to Abbas, he had come a long way from his days in Lyari where he started taking karate lessons aged seven before moving to Dubai five years later.
“Representing Pakistan is the most important thing for me. I started training there and I’ll always come back to my roots whenever they need me. Since my dream is to win the world championships, I may quit the sport altogether after that.”
Abbas credited his performance at international events to the training he has been getting at the Al-Ahali Club, where he won the World Karate Federation Clubs World Cup in 2008 and 2010.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2011.