Athletics Federation To Hold Two National C'ships In Sept, Oct

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jul, 2021 ) :The Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) would be holding two national championships in September and October this year.

"The plan for holding the championships was prepared and approved in the recent General Council meeting of AFP held in Lahore, which was attended by all affiliated members," AFP President Major General (Retd) Muhammad Akram Sahi told APP.

He said the 5th National Youth and Junior Athletics Championship would be played in September while the 50th National Athletics Championship will take place in October. "Pakistan Army and Wapda will defend the Men's and Women's titles in the championship, respectively," he said. Sahi said a total of 14 teams would feature in the championship including Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy, Wapda, Railways, Police, Higher education Commission (HEC), Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. He said AFP would utilize resources for the promotion of athletics in the country and at the same time the federation will also strengthen the women's wing.

"There was no shortage of talent in the country but there was lack of resources. We need to provide our athletes with international level facilities to compete at international level." Sahi said all sports activities in the world were suspended last year due to COVID-19 pandemic. "Our playgrounds were also deserted which has caused great damage to the athletes," he said. "But as now the sports are resuming slowly around the globe we will also be holding national championships for the players to get back in form and to prepare them for future international tournaments." To a question regarding women talent in the country, Sahi said our women athletes were no lesser than any other but needed to be provided with facilities. "Our women athletes have won many medals at the international level. To focus on the women's sector with more concentration, officials of Pakistan Women Athletics Association have been selected for a term of next four years, with Shahida Khanum and Abida Tanveer as president and secretary, respectively while Shahina Istiaq has been appointed treasurer," he said.

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