Army cements top-spot with 30 golds

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army stood tall at the top of the medals tally with 30 golds in the 31st National Games, Wapda sit behind the leaders with 18 golds including 15 golds, nine silvers and five bronze medals which came on Monday. Balochistan stood third while Sindh, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have each won one gold so far.

Abbas outperforms

Wapda’s penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas scored five consecutive goals in a single match, all through penalty corners, as Navy was thrashed 6-0 in the hockey event. Abbas scored his first goal in the eighth minute, followed by four more in the 30th, 40th, 66th and 62nd with the last goal coming from Asif Micheal.

While Army qualified for next round after securing a 2-0 victory against Punjab, the match between K-P and Pakistan Air Force (Paf) ended in a 3-3 draw.

Army victorious in football

Army’s Shakeel Yousaf scored the winning goal in the 58th minute to defeat Navy 1-0 while Paf drew 2-2 against Wapda in the football event being played at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad. Wapda’s Arif Mehmood scored first followed by Tauseef. However, Paf’s Mujahid scored in the 59th and 82nd minute to level the match. Paf will face Navy while Army will face-off with Wapda today.

Atlas clinches squash gold

Asian Games gold and silver medalist Aamir Atlas of Wapda clinched the gold in the squash event by defeating defending champion Farhan Mehboob11-9, 11-4, 11-13, 5-11 and 11-3 in the squash final.

Earlier, in the semi-finals Atlas defeated Waqar Mehboob of K-P 11-8, 11-6 and 11-5. Farhan defeated Farhan Zaman Khan of Paf 11-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 and 11-9.

Army, Wapda excel

Wapda and Army were tied for the gold run with both winning three gold medals each in the in the six events of the athletic meet which got underway at the Qayyum Sports Complex.

Wapda’s athletes also won four silvers and four bronze. Army bagged the gold in pole volt (women), long jump and shot put, and a silver in javelin throw (men) while Wapda clinched a gold each in javelin throw (men), high jump and shot put and another four silvers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2010.