CWG 2022: Three Pakistan wrestlers win medals despite lack of support

Pakistan’s wrestlers won three medals during the ongoing Commonwealth Games on Friday to make the country proud. However, they rued lack of support from sporting bodies in Pakistan after their impressive achievement.

Zaman Anwar claimed a silver medal after losing to Canada’s Amarveer Dhesi in the final of the Men’s Freestyle 125kg.

Speaking after the win, Anwar said that Pakistani wrestlers receive no support when it comes to training in foreign countries.

“I’m sad about not winning the medal,” said Anwar. “If we have received international training, our wrestlers would have performed better.”

“Our opponents go to foreign countries for training but we come here straight from our home,” he added. “Indian wrestlers trained in Kazakhstan and Australia.”

افسوس صد افسوس 🙁

125 کلوگرام ریسلنگ کیٹگری میں قومی ریسلر زمان انور کہتے ہیں بھارتی ریسلرز انٹرنیشنل ٹریننگ کرتے جبکہ ہم گھر سے اٹھ کر ریسلنگ کرنے آجاتے ہیں#Birmingham2022 #Commonwealth #ZamanAnwar #Wrestling pic.twitter.com/OZfB8YKgk1

— Qadir Khawaja (@iamqadirkhawaja) August 5, 2022

Apart from Zaman, Inam Butt bagged a silver medal after losing the final against India’s Deepak Poonia in Men’s Freestyle 86kg.

“We are nowhere near the budget that Indian wrestlers get for preparation,” said Inam. “We need state of the art facilities in order to win gold medals for Pakistan. I have asked for foreign training numerous times but people don’t pay heed to my requests.”

Meanwhile, in Men’s Free Style 65kg, Inayatullah secured a bronze medal after beating Scotland’s Ross Connelly in the repechage round.

Today, Pakistan’s Tayyab Raza will be in action in the Men’s Freestyle 97kg whereas Muhammad Sharif Tahir will compete in the Men’s Freestyle 74 kg. Ali Asad will participate in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg.

After the medals won by wrestlers, Pakistan’s tally at the Commonwealth Games has reached five. The other two were won by weightlifter Nooh Butt, gold, and Judoka Shah Hussain Shah, who won a bronze.