Pakistan’s U17 wrestlers could train in Russia

Country’s top wrestlers are in the twilight of their careers
ISLAMABAD 02 August (Online): Knowing well that the country’s top wrestlers are in the twilight of their careers, Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) plans to invest in a cluster of highly talented under-17 grapplers who are also expected to be sent to Russia for a six-month training later this year.

“We plan to invest in a pool of under-17 wrestlers whom we have identified. Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) Director General Shoaib Khoso has promised that the Board will give us money for enhancing the skills of the young lot through foreign training,” PWF vice-president Arshad Sattar told ‘The News’ here on Tuesday.

“We will prepare five or six young wrestlers and every effort will be made to send them to Russia for six months training this year. These boys are highly talented and inshaAllah I hope they will become the future of Pakistan,” Arshad said.

“If we get state support, we will prepare them for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” he was quick to add.
Asked why they just want to focus on five or six wrestlers, Arshad said huge finances would be required if they formed a larger pool.

“We will need huge money if we pick more wrestlers. We have no money even for camps and without camps these boys cannot be prepared,” he asserted.
“Our issue is that here we play mud-wrestling. There is a huge difference between mud wrestling and mat wrestling. Their training and speed is different. If we get long camps we can even form two or three teams as we have huge talent,” he said.

“If we focus on these already identified under-17 wrestlers I hope they will start yielding results in international circuit in two to three years. Our intent is to provide them six months training initially in Russia. I am going to meet the DG PSB next week and will discuss this matter. We will start their preparation from this year,” he said.

“Our best lot is on the decline and we have to go for preparing youngsters for the future,” Arshad said.

“If we get state support and we start holding camps of under-15 wrestlers it will be great. If camps are held consistently for the whole year and those kids also get their education at the same time at the place where they train I hope they will be able to qualify for the Olympics before reaching 20 years of age,” Arshad said. About the World Championship and the Asian Games, Arshad said that tough training is in progress.

“Yes, training is going well and it would be good if we got a medal in the Asian Games and if any one qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Arshad said.
Pakistan plans to send Mohammad Inam, Inayatullah and Mohammad Bilal to Serbia for the World Wrestling Championship which will be held in Belgrade from September 16 to 24. The World Championship will also act as qualifiers for the next year’s Paris Olympics.