The 31st National Games commenced in Peshawar on the 25th of December in Qayyum Sports Complex amid tight security. Individual and team sports including track and field events were on display during the week.
Muhammad Ali from Wapda finished first in the 1,500 metre race, the last event of the National Games.
In the colourful closing ceremony, children dressed in lively outfits performed traditional dances of the four provinces, amid roaring applause from the audience.
Similarly, horse dances and low aerial glider performances entertained the surprised audience. There was also a group of school-age students singing and a beautiful fireworks display as the games came to a close.
Pakistan Army defended their title and grabbed 212 medals overall, included 106 gold, 97 silver and 27 bronze. Wapda got second position in the games with 183 medals overall, including 78 gold, 50 silver and 55 bronze. Pakistan Navy came third with 47 medals including 11 gold, 18 silver and 18 bronze.
Two records were broken in the games. Maryam Babar from Wapda made a record 11.66 metre triple jump, breaking the old 11.53 metre record.
Similarly, Kiran from Pakistan Army won a total of 13 medals, breaking the old record of 12 medals.
7000 players from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Fata, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Airforce, Pakistan Railway, Wapda, Pakistan Police and Higher Education Commission participated in the event.
Fair Play trophy went to K-P, while the Rasa Kashe contest was won by organising authorities when they defeated media persons.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2011.
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