AFP planning to send Arshad to Kazakhstan

KARACHI: As border restrictions have now been relaxed in Kazakhstan and flights have been resumed the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) plans to send javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem there for training after Eid-ul-Fitr.

He will be imparted training by Kazakhstan’s coach Viktor Yevsyukov from whom Arshad is receiving training in Antalya, Turkey, these days.

However, the Turkey training stint will end on April 30 and Arshad will return.

The AFP will decide about the matter soon.

“Definitely the plan is there but we will decide it in a meeting in a few days after discussing the matter from various perspectives,” an AFP official told ‘The News’.

“Arshad’s input will also be taken. His feedback will be important as he is currently undergoing training in Turkey under Viktor,” the official said.

The official said that the AFP has also received an invitation from the athletics authorities of Kazakhstan for an international event to be held in Almaty in June. “If we are able to send Arshad to Kazakhstan then he will also feature in the international event in Almaty,” the official said.

If sent, Arshad would remain in Kazakhstan until the Olympics to be held this summer in Tokyo.

Arshad is preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. He blasted his way into the Olympics with an 86.29metre throw in the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal.

A few days ago he bettered his throw when he managed an 86.38m in an international event in Iran from where he directly moved to Turkey for a three-week training under Viktor.

The AFP had last year managed for Arshad a training programme under Viktor in Kazakhstan but the javelin thrower could not proceed due to border restrictions due to Covid-19 issue.