Punjab has continued its momentum in the Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Provincial Games 2024, scheduled to end tomorrow (Thursday), bagging more gold medals in different sports.
Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Rana Sanaullah will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the event, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday (today).
Meanwhile, the athletics competitions of the Quaid-e-Azam games culminated today with outstanding performances by athletes in both men’s and women’s events at different venues of the Pakistan Sports Complex.
In the men’s category, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emerged as the best unit, bagging a total of 12 medals (5 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze). Punjab followed closely with 11 medals (5 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze).
Balochistan, Sindh, Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) also participated, contributing to a total of 33 medals across all events.
In the 100 meter race, Punjab’s Muhammad Hasnain clinched gold with a time of 11.10 seconds, followed by KPK’s Atta Ullah who bagged the silver medal. Hasnain continued his winning streak and again finished first in 22.52 seconds in the 200 meters.
In 400 meters, KPK’s Ataullah took gold with a time of 50.46 seconds. Punjab’s Akram won the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:05.63.
In the 4 x 100m relay, the Punjab team of Ghulam Murtaza and Muhammad Hasnain won gold with a time of 42.90 seconds. KP athletes also excelled in the field events: Bilal won the javelin throw and Wassi Ullah took gold in the discus throw.
Meanwhile, in the women’s events, Sindh showed its dominance, finishing with 7 medals (4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze). Punjab followed closely with 10 medals (3 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze). In total, the women’s events produced a total of 27 medals.
In the 100 meter race, Iqra Riaz of Sindh emerged victorious with a time of 13.07 seconds. He continued to shine and achieved another gold in the 200 meters with a time of 26.63 seconds. In high jump, Anaya Ahsan from Sindh won gold by clearing a height of 1.43 metres.
The Sindh team, consisting of Iqra, Anaya, Alayna and Rania, won gold in 4 x 100m relay, with a time of 54.87 seconds.
Kabaddi
The men’s Kabaddi (Asian style) bouts took place with outstanding performances at the Amir Khan Boxing Hall. Punjab and KP emerged as the dominant teams, claiming victories in their respective matches.
The day started with match number 7 where Punjab won a landslide victory against Islamabad.
In match number 8, Sindh showed remarkable teamwork and strategy to defeat Gilgit-Baltistan 72-58, in a high-energy clash that kept the audience engaged throughout.
KP showed its supremacy in match number 9, dominating Azad Jammu and Kashmir with a resounding 80-27 victory. His impressive performance reflected his tactical precision and athleticism.
In the tenth match, KP continued their winning streak, defeating Sindh 40-24 in a well-contested match. KP’s agility and strong defense were instrumental in their consecutive victories.
In the last match of the day, Punjab showed their kabaddi prowess, crushing Balochistan 55-11.
judokas
Meanwhile, the judo competitions brought exciting action at the Amir Khan Boxing Hall with athletes from Punjab and Balochistan dominating the men’s and women’s events. Both provinces won multiple gold medals, demonstrating their skill in the martial art.
In the men’s category, Balochistan emerged as a powerhouse, bagging three gold medals in the 50kg, 5kg and 60kg weight categories thanks to stellar performances by Maqsood Ahmed, Khan Noor and Matti Ullah respectively.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also showed exceptional talent, with Huzaifa taking gold in the 66kg category and Abdul Rehman winning the open weight category. Sindh’s Muhammad Maaz Bin Mehmood won gold in the 73kg category, completing the men’s champions.
In the women’s competitions, Punjab asserted its dominance with three gold medals. Syeda Javeria (40kg), Hifza Iftikhar (52kg) and Aima Adnan (63kg) led the charge for their province. KP’s Asfa Noor (48kg) and Amna (57kg) added two gold medals for their unit while Balochistan’s Saima bagged gold in the women’s open category.
— With additional information from the APP
