Tag: Commonwealth Games 2022

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani medalists who shone in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games and Islamic Solidarity Games were given a warm reception on Monday at Islamabad Airport upon their return to the country.

Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Colonel (retd) Mohammad Asif Zaman welcomed the silver medalist of the Commonwealth Games Inam Butt and other top performers of the global event as they reached the country from the United Kingdom (UK).

Earlier DG PSB announced that a ceremony would be held in the honor of the athletes and present them with awards.

“We say welcome to our national heroes,” he said. “Gold medalists Arshad Nadeem and Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt as well as other medalists will also be given a warm welcome on their return to the country,” he continued.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistani athletes secured eight medals including two golds by weightlifter Nooh Butt and javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games 2022.

Whereas, Arshad also imitated alike performance in the Islamic Games as he claimed the gold by setting the Games record.

National wrestlers remained the major contributor to the country’s medal tally as Inam Butt, Zaman Anwar, and Sharif Tahir bagged a silver each.

Wrestlers Inayatullah and Ali Asad, on the other hand, managed to bag a bronze apiece, while Shah Hussain Shah claimed bronze in Judo.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistani medalists who shone in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham were given a warm reception on Wednesday at Islamabad Airport upon their return to the country.

Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Colonel (retd) Mohammad Asif Zaman welcomed the silver medalists Sharif Tahir and Zaman Anwar, bronze medalist Asad Ali and other athletes who reached the country from the UK after competing in the Games.

Speaking on the occasion, DG PSB announced that a ceremony would be held in the honor of the athletes and to present them with awards.

“We say welcome to our national heroes,” he said. “Gold medalists Arshad Nadeem and Nooh Dastgir Butt as well as other medalists will also be given a warm welcome on their return to the country,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistani athletes secured eight medals including two golds by weightlifter Nooh Butt and javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games 2022.

National wrestlers remained the major contributor to the country’s medal tally as Inam Butt, Zaman Anwar, and Sharif Tahir bagged a silver each.

Wrestlers Inayatullah and Ali Asad, on the other hand, managed to bag a bronze apiece, while Shah Hussain Shah claimed bronze in Judo.

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BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan managed to secure 18th position with eight medals including two golds in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games 2022.

Wrestlers-led Pakistan contingent managed to secure 18th position out of 72 different nations and territories despite a frustrating start to their campaign.

The international event remained majorly dominated by Australia as the Kangaroos claimed 178 medals including 67 gold, 57, silver, and 54 bronze.

The hosts of the recently-commenced Games, England finished at the second position – just two medals shy of the leader Australia – with 176 medals including 57 gold, 66 silver, and 53 bronze.

India claimed an overall fourth position in the Games with 61 medals, comprised of 22 gold, 16 silver, and 23 bronze and also remained the top Asian country in the standings.

It is pertinent to mention here weightlifter Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt won the first gold medal for Pakistan before the star athlete Arshad Nadeem produced an astounding outcome in the Javelin throw final to bag the second gold for the country.

National wrestlers remained the major contributor to the country’s medal tally as Inam Butt, Zaman Anwar, and Sharif Tahir bagged a silver each.

Wrestlers Inayatullah and Ali Asad, on the other hand, managed to bag a bronze apiece, while Shah Hussain Shah claimed bronze in Judo.

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BIRMINGHAM: England women’s hockey team produced a stunning outcome in their gold medal bout with the favourites Australia and claimed their first-ever gold in the Commonwealth Games.

England, who had faced Australia thrice in the Commonwealth Games final since 1998 and have lost all three of them, flipped the history as the home side handed a scintillating 2-1 defeat to the hot favourites Australia.

The English side had won a medal at every Commonwealth Games since hockey was added to the programme in 1998 – but never gold. On Sunday, however, the home side finally gets their hands on their maiden gold in the Games.

In a predictably tensed and edgy encounter between the two sides, despite a late Hockeyroos consolidation, goals from Holly Hunter and Tess Howard were sufficient to give England their first gold medal.

The women’s hockey team from India, on the other hand, thrashed New Zealand 2-1 in the penalty shootouts before the game ended evenly for both teams at 1-1.

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When Arshad Nadeem arrived in Birmingham on July 30 to participate in the Commonwealth Games, no one expected gold from him. The fact that he was suffering from an elbow injury was far less distressing than the fact that he was not accompanied by any coach to assist him at the mega event. Yet, he created history in the event.

With a throw of 90.18 metres in the final, he not only won Pakistan’s first-ever gold medal in the javelin throw competition but also set a new record in Commonwealth Games history, that too with an injured elbow but unwavering determination.

With his remarkable feat, Arshad became the first South Asian athlete to manage above 90 metres throw in the Javelin. Pakistan won its first gold in Commonwealth Games athletics after a gap of 60 years. Earlier in the 1962 Perth Commonwealth Games, Pakistani athlete Ghulam Raziq won the gold medal in the 120 yards hurdles.

In the Javelin throw final, Arshad had to compete against Anderson Peters, the reigning world champion from Grenada, the biggest obstacle between him and the gold medal.

The Pakistani athlete’s first throw stunned everyone as he was dominating the competition after the first four rounds. He was sailing comfortably towards the victory when Peters dampened his enthusiasm in the final round with a throw of 88.64 metres.

Hopes were dashed and the gold medal seemed to be a distant dream before Arshad Nadeem turned the tables in his final throw. He gathered the courage, defied the injury and threw the javelin with all his force to breach the 90 metres mark.

When the javelin throw final started, Arshad recorded his personal best with 86.81 meters throw in the first round. His second attempt went unsuccessful due to a foul. In the third attempt, Arshad then bettered his own record by throwing the javelin 88 meters away, but what he did in the fifth throw was just unimaginable.

Pakistan bagged eight medals overall in the Commonwealth Games 2022 held in Birmingham. Shah Hussain Shah won Pakistan’s first medal in Judo. Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt claimed gold in weightlifting while Arshad Nadeem won gold in the javelin. Five medals were won by Pakistan in various wrestling competitions as well.

READ: Arshad Nadeem defies injury to bag historic gold for Pakistan in CWG 2022

BIRMINGHAM: Hot favourites Australia held their nerve to beat India by nine runs in a Twenty20 thriller at Edgbaston on Sunday as they won the first women’s cricket gold medal in Commonwealth Games history.

Opener Beth Mooney top-scored with 61 as Australia made 161-8 in their 20 overs in the warm Birmingham sunshine.

India appeared on course for a shock win as they cruised to 118-2 in the 15th over, but a clatter of wickets slowed their charge.

They still found boundaries to stay in the hunt and reached the final over with 11 runs needed and two wickets in hand.

But Meghna Singh was run out off the second ball and Yastika Bhatia was trapped lbw the following ball by left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen.

“It’s absolutely huge,” said Jonassen.

“We are blessed enough to be part of some winning World Cup teams but to win the first gold medal for women’s cricket in the Commonwealth Games, you’re only ever going to do that once.”

Victory underlined the dominance of Australia’s women, who are also the reigning world champions in the 20-over and 50-over formats.

Meg Lanning’s side had earlier looked set for a bigger total after they had rattled along to 83-1 off 10 overs.

But Lanning was dismissed for 36 courtesy of a brilliant piece of fielding by bowler Radha Yadav, who back-flicked the ball onto the stumps to run the Australia captain out at the non-striker’s end.

Tahlia McGrath, allowed to play despite testing positive for coronavirus, was next to go, caught brilliantly by Yadav at backward point.

Australia’s run-scoring was checked by an impressive India fielding display that led to the fall of several wickets.

Mooney was dismissed in the 18th over thanks to a stunning catch by Deepti Sharma, who clung onto the ball one-handed as she backtracked.

India were in deep trouble at the start of their innings, losing in-form opener Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma early on.

Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur rebuilt the innings at a packed and raucous ground, where most of the support was for India.

But just when India appeared to be on their way to victory, Rodrigues was bowled by Megan Schutt for 33 in the 15th over, ending a stand of 96.

The following over India suffered a huge double blow when Pooja Vastrakar was caught in the deep off the bowling of Ash Gardner and Kaur was caught by wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy off the next ball for 65, leaving them 121-5.

India still took the match to the last over but the target was just beyond them and they were bowled out for 152 with three balls remaining in their innings.

Off-spinner Gardner, who returned miserly figures of 3-16 in three overs, described the situation with McGrath as “unusual”.

“We have our doctor on tour and we were just listening to whatever she said and she said it was safe for her to play,” she said.

“Obviously we didn’t mingle with her so we all felt we were safe enough out there.”

In the bronze medal match earlier on Sunday, New Zealand coasted to an eight-wicket win over hosts England, who could only muster 110-9.

New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine top-scored with 51 not out as her side romped home with more than eight overs to spare.

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BIRMINGHAM: National athlete and Olympian Arshad Nadeem shone at the final of the Javelin throw despite the injury to claim a historic gold medal for Pakistan in the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022.

Arshad, who earned the direct qualification to the finals of the Javelin throw, set a new record to claim a historic gold medal for Pakistan.

The star athlete, coping with an elbow and knee injury, stunned his competitors with a national and Commonwealth Games record throw of 90.18 metres.

Arshad succeeded to throw at 86.81 in his first attempt in the final, which was his career-best throw and a new national record for Pakistan until his fifth attempt at the event.

In his third attempt, Arshad bettered his newly-set record as he threw at 88 metres. However, remained unable to carry the same momentum in his fourth as he could only amass 85.70 metres.

Following his slump, Arshad’s opponent Anderson Peters managed to dethrone the former from the top position in the standings as he threw 88.64 metres.

Arshad, however, did not hold back and stunned his competitor with an astounding throw of 90.18 metres and yet again bettered his own record to get his hands on the Commonwealth Games gold.

It is worth noting that Arshad is Pakistan’s first gold medalist in Commonwealth Games athletics since 1962.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old athlete is the second gold medalist for Pakistan in the ongoing Games after weightlifter Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt.

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BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan’s ace athlete Arshad Nadeem seemed hopeful for another sensational performance in today’s action-packed men’s javelin throw final in the Commonwealth Games 2022.

In a video message ahead of today’s final, Arshad stated that he would try his best to produce an exceptional performance in the contest and urged the whole nation to pray for his success.

The 25-year-old javelin star will be seen in action today alongside 12 other competitors in the final including the two-times World Athletics Champion Anderson Peters of Grenada and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago.

“I have worked hard for the event despite the elbow and knee injury. I will try my best to perform well in today’s final,” he said.

“People of Pakistan have always showered love on me and I ask them to pray for me today as well” he added.

It is worth mentioning here that Arshad created history for Pakistan as he became the first athlete from the country to reach a final at World Athletics Cham­pionships. Whereas, he finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

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BIRMINGHAM: Left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana shone with a blistering half-century before the bowlers held their nerves calm to hand India a thrilling victory over the hosts England in the first semi-final of Commonwealth Games 2022.

Following their victory over the tournament’s favourites England in the semi-final, India have confirmed at least a silver medal in the ongoing Games.

The Asian side will compete in the gold medal bout tomorrow and await either New Zealand or Australia in the final.

In the match, left-handed opener Mandhana led the way with a quickfire half-century while Jemimah Rodrigues chipped in with an unbeaten 44 to aid India to a competitive total of 164/5 in the allotted 20 overs.

Mandhana top-scored with 61 off 32 balls, laced with eight boundaries and three sixes, while Rodrigues scored 44 off 31 deliveries including seven boundaries.

For England, Freya Kemp was the pick amongst the bowlers as she claimed two wickets, while Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver made one scalp each.

Set to chase 165, the hosts of the Games England, fell just four runs short of the victory as they could score 160/6 in the allotted overs.

The hosts batters displayed a dismal start right from the start as the openers failed to provide a solid foundation, while the middle-order remained a touch too slow in the proceedings, costing England to keep their gold expedition alive.

English skipper Sciver top-scored for the side with 41, however, faced 43 deliveries in course of her defending knock. Wicket-keeper batter Amy Jones, on the other hand, followed back with 31 off 24 deliveries but remained unlucky as she lost her wicket in a run-out.

Sneh Rana shone with the ball for India, taking two wickets and bowling a brilliant final over, defending 14 runs, while Deepti Sharma struck out a batter.

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BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan wrestler Sharif Tahir has moved one victory away from claiming a gold medal in the Men’s Freestyle 74kg Wrestling in the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022.

Young wrestler Sharif displayed sheer dominance over his New Zealand opponent Cole Hawkins and qualified for the final of the 74kg category.

In a one-sided semi-final, Sharif kept Hawkins on the back for the majority of the clash before running away with a consolidating 11-0 victory.

Following his qualification for the gold medal bout, Sharif has confirmed at least a silver medal for Pakistan.

Other national wrestlers Ali Asad and Tayab Raza, on the other hand, failed to produce a similar outcome in their respective semi-finals as they suffered crushing defeats from Indian and Canadian opponents respectively. The two wrestlers will now compete for the Bronze medal in the third-place clash.

As a result, Pakistan’s overall medal tally has risen to six as national wrestlers Inam Butt and Zaman Anwar earlier bagged a silver apiece, while Judo player Shah Hussain Shah and wrestler Inayatullah bagged a bronze each. Weightlifter Muhammad Nooh Dastgir Butt, on the other hand, thus remained the only gold medalist for Pakistan in the ongoing games.

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