Local rowers waiting for a push
New boats and coaches sought for Olympics glory.
KARACHI:
Although rowing is on the rise as a sport in Pakistan, it is not just the increased interest that will land Pakistan a medal at the Olympics — they need good coaches and boats.
Pakistan will take part in the Asian Olympic qualifiers in April where they will have to finish in the top four to make it to London and Asim Aijaz, who won three gold medals at the recently concluded National Rowing Championship, believes that the Pakistan Rowing Federation (PRF) will need to invest in the athletes if it wants the team to qualify.
“We’re more capable than any other Asian country but we don’t have any boats — the last batch that came to Pakistan was in 1992,” Aijaz told The Express Tribune. “It’s amazing that we’ve taken part in the qualifiers despite practicing on broken boats. We can win a medal at the Olympics if the PRF gets us decent boats.”
Finding a good coach, according to Aijaz, is also a challenge. He pointed out that Olympian Mohammad Akram still participates as an athlete while Pakistan’s only professional rowing coach Qazi Amjad now lives in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Akram, who secured a bronze on Saturday, echoed similar concerns.
“The biggest concern for the rowers is the boats,” said Akram, who has participated in the Olympic qualifiers since 1992 and took part in the 2004 event. “Half of them are broken and with each accident they become weaker. The PRF should invest in rowing boats instead of getting indoor rowing machines.
“We can’t afford to buy boats ourselves as they cost Rs 800,000 each,” he said before adding that the absence of artificial lakes leaves them with no choice but to row near the dams and open sea where the water is unpredictable and makes rowing difficult.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2011.
Although rowing is on the rise as a sport in Pakistan, it is not just the increased interest that will land Pakistan a medal at the Olympics — they need good coaches and boats.
Pakistan will take part in the Asian Olympic qualifiers in April where they will have to finish in the top four to make it to London and Asim Aijaz, who won three gold medals at the recently concluded National Rowing Championship, believes that the Pakistan Rowing Federation (PRF) will need to invest in the athletes if it wants the team to qualify.
“We’re more capable than any other Asian country but we don’t have any boats — the last batch that came to Pakistan was in 1992,” Aijaz told The Express Tribune. “It’s amazing that we’ve taken part in the qualifiers despite practicing on broken boats. We can win a medal at the Olympics if the PRF gets us decent boats.”
Finding a good coach, according to Aijaz, is also a challenge. He pointed out that Olympian Mohammad Akram still participates as an athlete while Pakistan’s only professional rowing coach Qazi Amjad now lives in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Akram, who secured a bronze on Saturday, echoed similar concerns.
“The biggest concern for the rowers is the boats,” said Akram, who has participated in the Olympic qualifiers since 1992 and took part in the 2004 event. “Half of them are broken and with each accident they become weaker. The PRF should invest in rowing boats instead of getting indoor rowing machines.
“We can’t afford to buy boats ourselves as they cost Rs 800,000 each,” he said before adding that the absence of artificial lakes leaves them with no choice but to row near the dams and open sea where the water is unpredictable and makes rowing difficult.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2011.