Pakistan win gold in Beach Games wrestling

Saturday, October 25, 2008 BALI, Indonesia: Pakistani wrestlers exhibited a fine performance to win one gold and one bronze medal each in the 1st Asian Beach Games wrestling competition, ending a decade long medal drought at the Asia level, here on Friday at the Beach wrestling arena.Pakistan earned the gold through Ghulam Haider in the 65kg category and Usman Majeed claimed a bronze in the 85kg class. The success has revived the hopes for the revival of the game back home where there is still big interest among the youth for wrestling specially the traditional style of the game. Pakistan’s last medal victory in an Asian competition was way back in the mid 1990s.Haider scooped the gold defeating the hosts’ Pahmi Ginawan Pami on points. In beach wrestling if a wrestler gets two successive points he is declared thewinner. Haider anticipated the prowess and agility of his opponent who failed to sustain the pressure and appeared jaded.On his way to the gold Haider fought three back to back bouts in hot and humid conditions as the bright sunshine rendered the sand sizzling and it was hard to even stand on such a urface.In the semifinals bout, Haider beat Japan’s Kota Horaguchi and in the quarter-finals overpowered Afghanistan’s strong Mohammad Akram Rahimi before starting the event with a bye.Usman fetched the bronze defeating Japan’s Takayuki Mizuguchi before losing the semifinal bout to South Korean Jehyoun Noh and the loss deprived Pakistan a possible silver medal. Afghanistan’s Azim Zada won the gold beating South Korean Noh Jehyoun in the final.Usman struck brilliance and force starting the event with a hard earned win over Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Kobonov before beating the Philippines’ Jason Balabal.After spending much force in the two initial round bouts, Usman could not preserve much energy and stamina for his semifinal bout as the Korean wrestler was quick enough to counter his attacks and then to apply forceful grips which yielded points for him.

text source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=143004