Pakistan grab bronze at youth scrabble

Team also clinches award for highest single move score at world championship.

KARACHI: An indifferent year for Pakistan sports seems to be ending on a high.

Just days after winning the amateur world snooker championship and taking bronze at the Champions Trophy hockey, Pakistan managed to secure third position behind Australia and Malaysia at the World Youth Scrabble Championship that concluded in Birmingham on Monday.

Javeria Salman finished as the highest-ranked Pakistani in the event at 14th.

“We have finally done it,” Javeria told The Express Tribune. “We’ve been working hard for this for the past three years now and it has finally paid off. We are now placed among the world’s best. We can’t be underestimated anymore. We will win the championship next year for sure.”



The Pakistan Scrabble Association (PSA) sent an eight-member team to the championship, the team’s third appearance in the event, after finishing fifth in Malaysia last year. PSA Director Tariq Pervez, who was supervising the team, said that each player showed marked improvement from the last event.

“I received amazing reviews for our kids from other participants,” said Pervez. “My players were the best-behaved and impressive. I’m just glad that these children are not only leaving with an award but also with a lot of praise. I’m glad that every player performed well and that all of them finished in the top half of the championship that comprised 60 players from all over the world.”

Meanwhile, Javeria Mirza of Pakistan also won the award for the highest single move score for the ‘Shunters’. Australia’s Michael McKenna clinched the world youth title while Malaysia’s Cheong Yi Wei finished as runner-up.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2012.