No boxing gold medal for Pakistan

It’s the first time Pakistan pugilists failed to win gold in South Asian Games

KARACHI: For the first time in South Asian Games, Pakistan failed to clinch any boxing gold medal as four pugilists lost their finals to Indian boxers on Monday.

Pakistan coach Ali Bakhsh blamed the referees for his brigade’s poor finish, saying they were denied two sure gold medals. “It’s difficult to express my feelings. Mohib Bacha and Ali Ahmed were deprived of gold medals. They both played really well,” the dejected Ali told ‘The News’ from India.

Pakistan ruled the boxing slots in South Asian Games. In the 2010 Dhaka edition, Pakistan’s Niamatulah won a gold medal.

Niamat lost the other day in the 56kg quarter-final against a Sri Lankan boxer. The experienced player from Quetta received serious injury on his right eyebrow, which left him incapable of continuing the fight. He had 12 stitches.

On Monday, in the 49 kg final, Mohibullah went down against India’s Devendro Sindh 3-0. Mohammad Asif lost his 52kg decider to India’s Madan Lal 2-1. Ali Ahmed, a highly talented boxer from WAPDA, conceded his 60kg final to India’s Dheeraj 2-1. Tanvir was the last casualty for Pakistan when he went 3-0 down in the 75kg final against India’s Vikas Krishna.

Pakistan fielded boxers in all the seven weight categories as three heavyweight categories had been excluded from the list of events.

In women boxing, Pakistan’s Rukhsana and Sofia picked bronze medals, coach Ali said.

India won all the seven gold medals in men’s slots.

Pakistan, participating in women boxing for the first time, had fielded three girls in the competitions.

Pakistan will now take part in the Asian qualifying round for Olympics in China next month. Ali said no major changes would be made to the squad that featured in the South Asian Games.

“We cannot make experiments at this stage. The boys who played here did not play bad. They have got experience and I am not in favour of any major changes for the qualifiers,” said Ali, a former international.

In men’s handball, Pakistan failed to defend the title when they lost to India 32-31 in the final. At one stage, India had a decent lead but Pakistan fought back strongly. In women’s handball, Pakistan clinched bronze by beating Nepal in the third-place play-off.

In judo, Pakistan’s Humaira Ashiq reached final in the -48 kg category.

Iran Shahzadi (-52Kg), Shumaila Gul (-57kg) and Ambreen Masih

(-63Kg) clinched bronze medals.