LAHORE: Pakistan Taekwondo team left for Baku to participate in the World Taekwondo Championship (G-14) scheduled to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event will be held from May 29 to June 4 at the Crystal Hall in Baku, in which around 1,200 athletes from different countries will participate.
The national squad includes South Asian Games gold medalist Haroon Khan (-58kg category), Hamza Umar Saeed (+87kg), Shahzeb Khan (-54kg) and Arbaaz Khan (-68kg). Umar Saeed is the head of the squad while Yusuf Karami will accompany the squad as team coach, Ashfaq Ahmed as manager and Faisal Butt as trainer.
While distributing the official kits to the players of the national squad before the departure, HEC Chairman Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said: “There is immense talent among taekwondo players in Pakistan, if these players are groomed more, our players will surely be at their best at international level.” PTF President Col (R) Waseem Janjua said: “We can raise Pakistani flag in the upcoming tournaments, do not take any fight lightly and give good news to the nation by winning medals.”
He said the players selected for the World Taekwondo Championship have received 17 days of training in Iran this month. “Our players are fully fit physically and mentally and they will try hard to reach the victory stand by showing their hundred percent performance,” he said. PTF CEO Umar Saeed, Secretary of Pakistan Universities Sports Board Javed Memon and other personalities were also present on the occasion.