32nd National Games: WAPDA lift maiden title with 190 gold medals

HEC finish second while Punjab complete podium in Lahore.

KARACHI: Wapda lifted the 32nd National Games title for the first time with the help of a whopping tally of 190 gold medals and 6,230 points in the week-long event.

In the absence of Army, who refused to take part in the ‘illegal’ event, Wapda took home the replica trophy. Higher Education Commission (HEC) finished second with 29 gold medals and 2,953 points while Punjab completed the podium with 22 gold medals and 2,732 points as the games concluded in Lahore yesterday.

Wapda grabbed the initiative early, winning 10 gold medals on the opening day and continued to dominate the games throughout. Sindh stayed in second for four days as their female swimmers won 16 out of the 24 gold medals but HEC’s late comeback on the fifth day pipped Sindh for second.

Wapda athletes, who have finished second behind Army for five years, said that the armed forces’ absence from the games was unfortunate but the experience of lifting the title was priceless.

Wapda athletes, who have finished behind Army for five years, said the absence of Army was unfortunate, but the experience was priceless. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

“Of course Army was the top contender, the level of competition was not the same as last year,” Wapda’s gymnast Khurram Shahzad old The Express Tribune. “We’ve won the Games for the first time and it feels great. In Army’s absence, we knew we could lift the trophy.”

Meanwhile, the Punjab Olympic Association (PbOA) officials said that the trophy given to Wapda was a replica of the original trophy after Army refused to return the one they took home last year. Army have won the National Games from 1956.

“We had to arrange a trophy for the winners,” said the PbOA official. “Army refused to return it. They didn’t cooperate with us at all. We had told them to return the trophy three days ago but they stated they don’t recognise the status of 32nd National Games therefore they are keeping the trophy with them.”

Meanwhile, on the last day of the Games, Wapda’s Zahid Ali took gold in the centre fire pistol individual event with 551 points, while Islamabad’s Tariq Manzoor and Moeen Zakaria secured second and third with 530 and 524 points. Wapda shooters also took gold in the team event with Islamabad taking silver and HEC bronze. Punjab’s Usman Chand emerged as the best shooter, winning three gold medals. Sindh won the trap team event with 279 points, Punjab took silver with 229 points and Islamabad secured bronze with 206 points.

In other events of the day, Wapda’s men’s squash team defeated Punjab 3-1. Wapda also bagged gold in the men’s handball event, beating Punjab 3-2.

Players celebrate their medals at the conclusion of the National Games. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

Wapda’s Raheela Bano received the award for the best women athlete with five gold medals in the cycling events - she won the 80km road race, 500m time trial, elimination race, 3km individual pursuit women’s event and 1,000m women’s sprint race out of six women’s cycling events.

“It’s an achievement for me and it doesn’t matter if anyone recognises the national games or not, I know I have done my best and got the appreciation for it as well,” said Bano. “For me it doesn’t matter if the trophy is original or not, it’s just important that Wapda has the best athletes in the country and we proved that.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2012.