Five wrestlers to train in North Ossetia as PWF intensifies preparations for the 2026 Asian Games
\n KARACHI
\nPakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) will send a six-member squad to Russia for a month-long training as part of preparations for the 2026 Asian Games slated to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.
\nThe joint training camp will be held at the Aslan Khadartsev Wrestling Academy, Republic of North Ossetia. Alania, Russia. Pakistan\u2019s plan is to proceed by August 20.
\nPakistan Sports Board (PSB) had released Rs7.2 million to the federation last year for training purposes of the young athletes and the PWF deems it a perfect opportunity to spend from it on the Asian Games squad training.
\nHowever, experienced wrestler Nouman Zaka, who has also been picked for the Asian Games, has not been included in the touring party because he does not meet the age criteria as the PSB wanted to spend the money entirely on youth development.
\nFollowing trials, the PWF named a four-member squad for the Asian Games comprising Abdullah (65kg), Inayatullah (74kg), Nouman Zaka (84kg) and Mohammad Gulzar (97kg). Abdullah, Inayatullah, who is also a former Youth Olympics bronze medallist and Mohammad Gulzar will travel to Russia, alongside emerging wrestlers Hasan Ali, the Asian Beach Games silver medllist, and Abdul Rahman. Ghulam Fareed will accompany the team as coach.
\nFor the Asian Games, however, PWF Secretary Mohammad Inam Butt will serve as the team\u2019s coach.
\nThe federation has been running a training camp in Gujranwala and Lahore for the past two months using its own resources after failing to secure a state-funded camp.
\n\u201cWe have been managing the camp ourselves for the last two months because no government-backed training camp has been provided,\u201d Inam told The Express Tribune from Gujranwala.
\nHe said the Russia tour would expose Pakistani wrestlers to a higher standard of training environment ahead of the continental showpiece.
\n\u201cIt will certainly benefit the wrestlers. But such overseas camps should be a regular part of the athlete development process. When they train with stronger wrestlers in a highly competitive environment, they learn far more than they can at home,\u201d said Inam, a former undisputed Beach Wrestling world champion.
\nHe acknowledged the formidable challenge awaiting Pakistan at the Asian Games, describing the competition as one of the toughest wrestling events in the world.
\n\u201cJapan has Olympic gold medallists, Iran has Olympic silver medallists, and several countries have Asian champions. Competing against such opponents is never easy, especially for our wrestlers, who do not receive the level of training facilities and international exposure available to them,\u201d he said.
\nInayatullah is undergoing training under Ghulam Fareed in Lahore while the other three Asian Games-bound wrestlers are being trained by Inam Butt in Gujranwala.
\nThe wrestlers are training in Gujranwala and Lahore under extremely hot weather conditions, with high temperatures and humidity affecting the intensity and duration of practice sessions. Excessive perspiration and fatigue have become major concerns as athletes prepare for one of the biggest events on the international calendar.
\n\u201cIt is extremely hot here, and it is not easy for the wrestlers to maintain quality training sessions under these conditions,\u201d Inam said.
\nAround 25 wrestlers are currently attending the Gujranwala camp.
\nThis correspondent understands that the PSB initially committed to funding four wrestlers for the 2026 Asian Games, prompting the PWF to conduct national selection trials. The board later informed the federation that it would not sponsor any wrestler before issuing a third communication stating it would support only one wrestler and one official.
\nThe uncertainty has left the federation struggling to finalise its preparations and financial planning.
\n\u201cWe often have to approach the Punjab Sports Board or the Pakistan Army for assistance. Running a sport professionally is extremely difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Five wrestlers to train in North Ossetia as PWF intensifies preparations for the 2026 Asian Games KARACHI Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) will send a six-member squad to Russia for a month-long training as part of preparations for the 2026 Asian Games slated to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4. The joint […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":560411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-560398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n