Pakistan female skier Ifrah injured in Austria
The teenager was attending a month-long FIS training camp
KARACHI:
National ski champion Ifrah Wali met with an unexpected accident right before her 19th birthday during the International Skiing Federation (FIS) training camp in Austria.
The teenager, who qualified for the camp courtesy of her FIS points, was training at the Hintertux Glacier slope before the incident left her with a hair-line fracture to her right foot.
According to Ifrah’s sister Aaminah, who was with her at the South Asian Winter Games medal podium in 2011, this is the first time that the skier has had a major injury scare.
Being an elder sister, she said she is proud of her younger sibling for being strong.
“This is the first time that something like this has happened to her,”Aaminah told The Express Tribune. “Of course it’s a little frustrating. This was a great opportunity, training in Austria with the FIS coaches. She had a whole month to learn, but sadly things had to come to such an abrupt end.
“It’s her birthday on Saturday; we’re all concerned and waiting for her to return.”
The Ski Federation of Pakistan (SFP) sent Ifrah, the first female skier to be given a chance to go for the prestigious programme, along with 2014 Winter Olympian Muhammad Karim to Austria.
SFP spokesman Obaidur Rehman Abbasi said that the federation’s president and secretary were in constant touch with Ifrah.
“Ifrah was taken to the Sports City Clinic Innersbruck in a helicopter,” said Abbasi. “The doctors have told her to rest for at least six weeks. She will return to Pakistan as soon as she’s given the go-ahead to travel. The organisers have taken good care of her.”
National ski champion Ifrah Wali met with an unexpected accident right before her 19th birthday during the International Skiing Federation (FIS) training camp in Austria.
The teenager, who qualified for the camp courtesy of her FIS points, was training at the Hintertux Glacier slope before the incident left her with a hair-line fracture to her right foot.
According to Ifrah’s sister Aaminah, who was with her at the South Asian Winter Games medal podium in 2011, this is the first time that the skier has had a major injury scare.
Being an elder sister, she said she is proud of her younger sibling for being strong.
“This is the first time that something like this has happened to her,”Aaminah told The Express Tribune. “Of course it’s a little frustrating. This was a great opportunity, training in Austria with the FIS coaches. She had a whole month to learn, but sadly things had to come to such an abrupt end.
“It’s her birthday on Saturday; we’re all concerned and waiting for her to return.”
The Ski Federation of Pakistan (SFP) sent Ifrah, the first female skier to be given a chance to go for the prestigious programme, along with 2014 Winter Olympian Muhammad Karim to Austria.
SFP spokesman Obaidur Rehman Abbasi said that the federation’s president and secretary were in constant touch with Ifrah.
“Ifrah was taken to the Sports City Clinic Innersbruck in a helicopter,” said Abbasi. “The doctors have told her to rest for at least six weeks. She will return to Pakistan as soon as she’s given the go-ahead to travel. The organisers have taken good care of her.”