Regu championship: Underdogs Pakistan claim 3 bronze medals
Squad lost in semis of Sepak Takraw World Championship.
KARACHI:
Pakistan ended its 26th King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship campaign with three bronze medals as the event concluded in Bangkok yesterday.
In its final appearance, Pakistan lost 3-0 to Laos in the team event’s semi-final, losing 15-11, 15-9, 15-9 to the 11-ranked team in two-and-a-half hours.
Pakistan Sepak Takraw Federation (PSTF) had sent a 10-member team to the tournament considered to be the most prestigious event in the sport. The team took part in the men’s doubles, regu and team events and ended up bagging bronze in each discipline.
“We’ve just made history,” PSTF Secretary Noushad Ahmed Khan told The Express Tribune. “We introduced this sport in Pakistan in 2003 and made our first team in 2006. And this shows our commitment to the sport.
“All these players have stuck to their task since 2006. They took part in different events, spending their own money for a long time and now they’ve finally proved that they have the potential to overcome top teams.”
Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka, Australia and world number six Singapore to book a place in the semi-final against Laos. Meanwhile, they lost to Cambodia 3-0 in the regu semi-final and met the same fate in the doubles event against Cambodia.
The women’s team however failed to make any impression as they lost to Sri Lanka in the regu event.
According to Khan, the PSTF will send 19-year-old Mohammad Arsalan to Malaysia for training. Khan also lauded the efforts of Shabbir Ahmed and Syed Asif Ali who, according to the secretary, played an important role in securing the medals for Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.
Pakistan ended its 26th King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championship campaign with three bronze medals as the event concluded in Bangkok yesterday.
In its final appearance, Pakistan lost 3-0 to Laos in the team event’s semi-final, losing 15-11, 15-9, 15-9 to the 11-ranked team in two-and-a-half hours.
Pakistan Sepak Takraw Federation (PSTF) had sent a 10-member team to the tournament considered to be the most prestigious event in the sport. The team took part in the men’s doubles, regu and team events and ended up bagging bronze in each discipline.
“We’ve just made history,” PSTF Secretary Noushad Ahmed Khan told The Express Tribune. “We introduced this sport in Pakistan in 2003 and made our first team in 2006. And this shows our commitment to the sport.
“All these players have stuck to their task since 2006. They took part in different events, spending their own money for a long time and now they’ve finally proved that they have the potential to overcome top teams.”
Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka, Australia and world number six Singapore to book a place in the semi-final against Laos. Meanwhile, they lost to Cambodia 3-0 in the regu semi-final and met the same fate in the doubles event against Cambodia.
The women’s team however failed to make any impression as they lost to Sri Lanka in the regu event.
According to Khan, the PSTF will send 19-year-old Mohammad Arsalan to Malaysia for training. Khan also lauded the efforts of Shabbir Ahmed and Syed Asif Ali who, according to the secretary, played an important role in securing the medals for Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.