Pakistanis shine bright at Special Olympics

Five athletes qualify for final rounds of athletics events, hope to secure podium finish

KARACHI:

Pakistan had a stellar day at the Special Olympics World Games on Monday as five athletes qualified for the final rounds of athletics events in Berlin.

Samina Bibi and Mohammad Bashar qualified for the finals of the 50m sprint, whereas Ammar Ibrahim reached the 200m final, and Abdul Haseeb progressed to the 800m final.

“I competed in the 200m race and I will get the gold medal for Pakistan,” said Ammar in a video released by the Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP).

Standing with him, his coach said that Pakistani athletes had performed exceptionally well in the qualifying rounds and would also leave no stone unturned in the finals.

Haseeb expressed joy as he looked at the camera with a soft smile, flanked by an SOP official, who was beaming with pride at his achievement.

“Haseeb has done very well in the qualifying round, and is now through to the final,” said the official.

Minahil, the 100m sprinter and long jumper, also made her way into the final.

“My name is Minahil, and I have qualified for the final in 100m,” she said in the video. The official accompanying Minahil added that the athlete from Punjab was aiming for the medal and dreaming of making Pakistan proud.

Minahil also went on to qualify for the long jump quarter-finals. She was joined by fellow athlete Muhammad Lucman.

In other track and field disciplines, Fiza Abbasi qualified for the final in the 200m, and Man Bibi booked her place in the 400m finals.

Athlete Mirwais was also in the 1500m semi-finals after the qualifying round, while Umair Kayani made his mark by qualifying for the shotput semi-finals.