PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s seasoned wrestler Mohammad Bilal has called for holding a camp immediately for preparation of the 2024 Paris Olympics Qualifiers.
”The camp should be held immediately if we are to prepare for the Olympics Qualifiers,” Bilal told The News in a detailed chat.”
“We held a camp for six months for the World Championship and Asian Games and if we delay the camp anymore for the Olympics Qualifiers it will incur huge damage as the wrestlers will have to start from zero and their six months’ hard work will be wasted,” said Bilal, who features in the 57 kilogramme in international events.
Pakistan’s top three wrestlers featured in the World Championships in Serbia in September but no one was able to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
The national grapplers now have two more chances to get Olympics seats. There will be a continental qualification tournament next year from which the top two grapplers in each weight will qualify for the Paris Olympics. And the final qualification tournament will be held in the shape of 2024 World Qualification event from which the gold and silver medallists and the winner of the fight between the two third-placed athletes will make it to the Olympics.
These events will be held in April and May next year. Pakistan’s Mohammad Inam, Mohammad Bilal and Inayatullah will be fielded in these Qualifiers. Bilal said that only a local camp will not be sufficient and demanded that the authorities manage a four-month training programme on foreign soil.
“You know several times we went down to Olympic and world champions in major events. And each time we say that we need international training. I again say that we have three to four months and if we train on foreign soil then I am confident we will be able to qualify for the Olympics,” Bilal said.
”Look, if we only train here it will be of no use. We underwent training for six months for the Asian Games but no result was produced. There were 40 wrestlers in the camp and I don’t think it did any good to the country. If the same amount which was spent on the camp carrying 40 wrestlers is spent on top three or four wrestlers and if they are sent abroad then I am quite sure about some productive outcome,” Bilal stressed.
He said that Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan will be the best training destinations.
“There we will also be able to get halal food. You know how important nutrition is for development of an athlete,” Bilal said.
He added that foreign training will help them develop their skills.
“The issue is here that we play and train with low quality wrestlers and our techniques against them are productive but when we face the world’s top wrestlers then our techniques are not so much effective as the opponents excel us. In power and stamina we are not inferior to them but in speed work they have an edge over us,” Bilal said.
Bilal also called for launching a professional league.
“A professional league is the backbone and it helps you to produce the stuff for the national duty. If we get eight to ten fights during the league then it will help us a lot as far as skill development is concerned. The thing is that besides training you also need competitions to develop,” Bilal said.
“The more competitions you get the more polished you get,” Bilal signed off.
Pakistani wrestlers last featured in the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News
