CWG: Pak weightlifter Talha?s real test today

KARACHI: Pakistan’s medal hope in weightlifting Talha Talib will be put to a real test on Thursday (today) when he will compete in the 62 kilogramme competitions of the 21st Commonwealth Games which were formally opened at Gold Coast, Australia, on Wednesday.The 18-year old last year in Gold Coast had lifted gold in the Commonwealth Junior Championships by lifting a total weight of 272kg which included 126kg in snatch and 146kg in clean and jerk. He had also secured silver in the senior category of the same championships with the same total. “We have sent Talha for lifting gold or silver,” Pakistan Weightlifting Federation’s (PWF) secretary Amjad Amin Butt told The News on Wednesday. “You know we have done what we could do on our part and I am very confident our weightlifters will deliver in Gold Coast,” the official said. There are 15 entries in Talha’s weight category. Also to compete on Thursday is weightlifter Abdullah Ghafoor who is set for his best lift in the 56 kilogramme competitions. The 31-year old Abdullah is more experienced. He had featured in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and had finished fourth. In 2010 Dhaka South Asian Games and 2016 India South Asian Games Abdullah had secured bronze medals. The 2015 Pune, India, Commonwealth Championship silver medallist Usman Amjad Rathore (94kg), the Commonwealth Championships 2017 silver medallist Nooh Dastagir Butt (+105kg) and the 2016 India South Asian Games bronze medallist Abu Sufyan (69kg) are the other weightlifters who would compete in the quadrennial event.Meanwhile Pakistan will also begin their medal quest in boxing on Thursday (today) when Gul Zeb will face William Le Poullain of Guernsey in the round of 32 at Oxenford Boxing Studios. As per draws, on April 9, boxer Ali Ahmed will face French Calum of England in the 60kg round of 16. On the same day Syed Mohammad Asif will meet Agina Brian of Kenya in the round of 16. Pakistan’s medal hope Awais Ali Khan will play directly in the quarter-final on April 11 after having got bye in the initial round.In squash on Thursday, Tayyab Aslam will take on Neville Sorrentino of British Vigin Islands in the men’s singles round of 64. Farhan Zaman will meet Toe Chapman of British Virgin Islamands in the men’s singles round of 64 while Madina Zafar will meet Deon Saffery of Wales in the women’s singles round of 62.In badminton Pakistan will face Scotland and India in their initial two fixtures of the mixed team event Group A competitions on Thursday. Sri Lanka is the other team in the group. The country’s top seeds Murad Ali, Hafiz Irfan Saeed, Mahoor Shehzad and Palwasha Bashir are part of Pakistan’s badminton squad.On Wednesday Pakistan’s contingent participated in the opening ceremony held at the Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast. Experienced weightlifter Usman Amjad Rathore, who has enormous international experience, served as flag-bearer. Most of the Pakistan’s contingent is in Australia. Only an eight-member wrestling squad is currently undergoing training in Pakistan and is scheduled to leave for Queensland on April 7. Wrestling competitions will be begin from April 12. Wrestling and weightlifting are considered the only two disciplines in which Pakistan has medal hope.

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