South and Central Asian Championship: Pakistan eye successful defence of ju-jitsu title

National team waiting for visas to attend tournament in India

KARACHI: A 30-member strong contingent will go to India to compete at the 2015 South and Central Asian Ju-Jitsu Championship which begins in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Pakistanis gold-medallist Sundas Salam said that the aim for the athletes will be to successfully defend their title at the championship, while playing in India will add to their competitive spirit.

“We aren’t looking to win silver or bronze, it’s the gold medal that we are seeking,” Sundas told The Express Tribune. “It’s exciting because we’ll be competing in India and it’s almost like a battle. Defeating India on their home turf is an irresistible lure.”

The championship will feature players from South Asia and Central Asia, which, according to Sundas, indicates a time tough at the competition.

She added that the national team is under pressure to defend its title successfully. “The defending champions always have more to prove, there is always that pressure to maintain dominance,” she said. “Hopefully, we’ll bring individual medals as well as consolidate Pakistan’s top position.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Ju-Jitsu Federation (PJJF) President Khalil Ahmed said that the team’s morale is high as the athletes have been training for five months for this tournament. “Despite the lack of support from the government, the federation has been able to provide the best facilities to the players to prepare for the championship,” said Ahmed.

He further emphasised that going to India was important as the competition was among the major events of ju-jitsu. “There are 11 agencies helping us to get the visas in time for our bouts [starting from June 2],” said Ahmed. “It’s a tough task but we are hoping for the best.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2015.

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