Practice makes perfect: Pakistan’s kabadi talent focuses on form

Pakistan Kabadi Federation Secretary Rana Sarwar said the training kicked off at PMA in Kakul.

ABBOTABAD:

Thirty players from the national kabadi team are attending a training camp in Abbottabad to prepare for upcoming international events.

At an informal meeting with journalists, Pakistan Kabadi Federation Secretary Rana Sarwar said the training kicked off on June 20 at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul and will continue till August 21. Selected players are on a strict schedule to get ready for the Pakistan-Iran Kabadi series in August and the Asia Cup Kabadi Tournament in December.

Three highly-trained coaches are working with the players, helping them hone skills and focus on their physical fitness, said Sarwar. All players have been fasting and their training starts half an hour before Iftar and then from 11pm till Sehri every day, he added.

The national federation is a member of the Asia Olympics and paperwork is in progress for it to join the International Olympic Federation, said the secretary. At least 27 countries have kabadi teams, he said. Strong encouragement comes from America and European countries; the movement of Asian players to these countries is proof of this support, said Sarwar.

At the moment, many kabadi players come from Sahiwal, Faisalabad and interior Punjab but there is potential in other parts of the country like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, said Sarwar. The purpose behind organising a training camp in Abbottabad is two-fold: to train the players on higher altitudes and to encourage new talent to come forward.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2014.