Faiqa, Kishmala to be in action today

Pakistani sprinter Faiqa Riaz and shooter Kishamala Talat will be in action at the Paris Olympics on Friday at the Stade de France track almost four hours away from that venue in the Chateauroux shooting centre, respectively.

So far Pakistan has not been able to pull off any impressive performances, even though the shooters were expected to have a better show.

Sprinter Faiqa is competing at the Games on universality quota while Kishamala Talat became the first Pakistani woman to qualify directly for the Olympics. She achieved the feat back in January.

Kishamla competed in France at the 10m air pistol women’s event and the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Gulfam Joseph.

Pakistan sent a contingent of seven athletes, four men and three women.

“I am very excited to be in action in Paris,” Faiqa told this correspondent at the Paris Olympics Athletes Village right after she returned from her training. “I am not really doing much, like I have not even socialised like that because I want to focus on my training and my performance in the event. I am trying not to over-exert myself either as everything is just for the preparation of August 2.”

Faiqa will be running in the preliminary round among 91 athletes in the women’s 100m track event.

The first three in each heat will automatically qualify to round one and the next five fastest will also advance.

“I will do my best, that is the goal,” said the 24-year-old without revealing what time she had in her mind.

Faiqa is not accompanied by her coach Fiaz Ahmed who has worked hard on her, she has been seeking guidance online.

Meanwhile, Kishmala, 22, will compete in the 25-metre pistol event.

This is the first time for Pakistan, as there has never been a woman to compete in this event at the Olympics before this edition.

Kishamla’s presence opened up possibilities for more Pakistani participation at the Games.

With a female shooter competing, Pakistan was able to field players in the 10m air pistol team event and 25m air pistol event too.

She will be among 38 women who will compete in the qualification precision at 9:00 am local time, the top eight from the group will then vie for the top prize at noon in the final.

The shooters including GM Bashir, Joseph, and Kishmala are all staying in Chateauroux and training at the shooting center along with their coach.

According to the Chef de Mission and Pakistan Handball Federation President Muhammad Shafiq, the shooters had a better chance at the Tokyo Olympics compared to now in Paris and the previous Games had limitations for the athletes due to Covid-19.

He said that in any case, he is proud of Pakistani athletes.

After the August 2 events, Pakistan will have GM Bashir competing in rapid-fire pistol on August 4. Arshad Nadeem will be in action first on Aug 6 for the qualification in javelin throw and then Aug 8 for the final.