Usman, Umair add more gold in Pakistan’s account

Cyclist, javelin thrower produce stunning performances at Special Olympics World Games

KARACHI:

Cyclist Usman Qamar and javelin thrower Umair Kayani from Pakistan emerged as gold medallists at the Special Olympics World Games held in Berlin.

Usman completed the 5km distance in a remarkable time of seven minutes and 21.59 seconds, securing his place on the podium with style. This was Usman's debut at the Games, and he attributes his success to his unwavering dedication to realising his lifelong dream.

"I am overjoyed with my performance," said Usman. "I had worked tirelessly for the Games, so I had high expectations for myself. I anticipated a podium finish."

"For me, this is a dream come true. I express my gratitude to Allah for helping me achieve this, and I would also like to thank my head coach, Maham Tariq. She provided immense support and trained me rigorously for the Games. Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP) also deserves my heartfelt appreciation for granting me this opportunity and their tremendous assistance in my training."

Originally from Islamabad, Usman has been actively involved in cycling since 2016. He had previously attended two World Games training camps before participating in this event. His coach, Tariq, expressed her pride in Usman's accomplishments, highlighting that his participation was made possible at the last moment due to his visa being issued just a day before the team's departure for Berlin. She remains optimistic about Usman's future performances and believes he will excel in upcoming races.

Meanwhile, Umair Kayani, who competes in various track and field disciplines, including sprinting, claimed his coveted gold medal in the javelin throw event. His best attempt reached an impressive distance of 38.81m, surpassing athletes from Hungary and Samoa.

Overall, Pakistan has secured four gold medals thus far. On June 20, powerlifter Saifullah Solangi earned two gold medals, in addition to a silver and a bronze. Umaima Iftikhar contributed to Pakistan's medal tally by winning a silver medal in the women's javelin throw event, achieving a distance of 10.47m.

The SOP has fielded a team of 87 athletes for the Games, consisting of 33 female athletes and 54 males. Pakistan is participating in 11 sports, including tennis, swimming, athletics, cycling, powerlifting, futsal, bocce, basketball, badminton, hockey, and table tennis.