Hameed to take part in national championship

South Asia’s fastest woman has confirmed her participation in the National Athletics Championship 400-metre relay race.

South Asia’s fastest woman Naseem Hameed has confirmed her participation in the National Athletics Championship 400-metre relay race while remaining doubtful of taking part in the 100-metre individual event.

“I’ve been practising with the team but I don’t know if I am going to run the 100-metre event because my trainers and coach have not yet confirmed my participation,” Hameed told The Express Tribune.

The 2010 SAF Games 100-metre gold medallist, who has not trained since March, joined the Pakistan Army camp on June 5 in Islamabad. The Army Sports Board Deputy Director Qaisar Mustafa also confirmed that Hameed will also take part in the long-jump event along with the relay race.

“Hameed has just regained her form and it’ll take her some time to get in to rhythm,” said Mustafa. “It is a very exhaustive sport and athletes are injury prone, therefore the army sports department is saving her for international tournaments.”

When asked if Hameed will replace the banned Olympian Sadaf Siddqui for the Commonwealth 2010 Games, Mustafa said that the record holder will have to prove her fitness.

“The trainers will see if she has the potential to compete with the athletes at the Commonwealth Games 2010 or the Asian Games.  The level of competition is higher there.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2010.