Forging ahead: Seven new world records set at youth festival

Two attempts started on Wednesday, concluded on Thursday.

LAHORE:

Participants of the Punjab Youth Festival on Thursday added seven new world records to their list of achievements.

The world record attempts were made at the Punjab Sports Board Gymnasium Hall. Minister for Sports and Education Rana Mashhood was the chief guest. Sports Board Director General Usman Anwar and Guinness World Record representatives were also present.

Sajjad Hussain set the world record for highest number of push-ups on the back of the hand. He reached the figure of 2,759 push-ups in one hour. He broke the record set by an American athlete, who had done 1,940 push-ups.

Muhammad Shahid beat India’s 28-year-old record of the highest number of push-ups in one hour. Shahid’s score of push-ups was 4,248, leaving behind India’s Bojinder Singh with his 3,877 push-up figure.

Nadeem Abbas registered 989 push-ups on back of the hands to set a new world record in one hour with 40lb pack. Paddy Doyle of the United Kingdom held the previous record with 663 push-ups. He had recorded that feat on May 13, 2008.

Zafar Iqbal and Kashif Ali, who started their 12-hour world record bids on Wednesday, accomplished their records on Thursday successfully.

Iqbal, from Jhang, broke the 25-year-old record of Paddy Doyle with 25,693 push-ups.

Kashif Ali of Okara beat Stephen Hayland with 4,375 pull ups.

Captain Arbab registered his name in the world record of the highest number of push-ups in 24 hours after breaking the record of an American who set the record with 46,001 push-ups.

Ashraf entered his name in the world record of most pull-ups in 24 hours exceeding the 4,030 mark in 12 hours.

Mashhood Ahmad Khan said Pakistan’s dream of beating world records had become a reality.

“Earlier, we used to see the records of other countries on television but now our own youngsters have created history,” he told newsmen after the events concluded.

He said changes would be brought in code of conduct of the Sports Board to maintain the sequence of events like the Punjab Youth Festival (PYF).

“We will also make necessary legislation at so that every government is bound to hold such sporting events every year,” he added.

The minister said that the setting world records were not political stunts.

GWR representatives said they were very impressed by the discipline of the participants.

“We have not witnessed such a discipline anywhere in the world,” one of them said.

Sports Board Punjab Director General Usman Anwar said the opening ceremony of the Pakistan-India Games on March 1 would be a memorable event with 60,000 youth setting the world record of waving the national flag at the National Hockey Stadium.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2014.