22-time winner earns Rs 1,000 lifting marbles and hopes to land government job to build academy for tribal youth
Rizwan Pathan with winning shields. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
By day, Rizwan Pathan, 27, carries heavy slabs of marble in a factory, earning barely enough to feed his children. At night, despite pain in his limbs and fatigue, he heads to the sports field to train.
“I work so that my children don’t sleep hungry,” he says. “And I train so that the athlete inside me does not die.”
Rizwan is not just a worker. He is a 22-time award-winning athlete in mixed martial arts and gymnastics. However, his daily salary is as low as 1,000 rupees, and on days when the power outage stops work at the factory, he sometimes earns nothing at all.
A refugee’s path to the ring
Rizwan’s story begins in Bajaur. In 2008, following military operations against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, his family was forced to move to Nowshera before finally settling in a rented house in Mardan.
What seemed like a hardship at the time turned into what Rizwan calls a “blessing in disguise.” Watching karate and gymnastics videos with a friend sparked a dream in him. “That’s when I decided I would become an athlete,” he recalls.
However, obstacles appeared early. When Rizwan tried to register for a sports gala, he was told that participants from the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were not eligible. Determined, he borrowed form B (official document for registering children under 18 years of age) from a friend, without even a photograph, entered and won the contest.
He then returned the certificate to his friend. “What would I do with this role?” he said, adding that without any cash reward, he was of little use.
Shoes, scrap and sparring
As financial pressures increased, Rizwan moved to Peshawar, where he shined shoes on the streets and worked in hotels to support his family. Night shifts also meant free meals; an advantage.
Although he continued to win competitions, his passion for martial arts was mocked. “The hotel owner used to say, ‘You’re lazy. These slippers won’t feed your stomach,'” Rizwan recalls.
But the kicking continued, whether on the practice fields, in competitions or in life.
From Peshawar, Rizwan’s struggle took him to Punjab. There, he pushed a junk car to find shelter for his family. The business helped him survive, but the debt still persists.
Loans with empty pocket
Despite his own difficulties, Rizwan’s commitment to the sport extends beyond himself. Unable to bear watching another athlete’s dreams crumble due to poverty, he took out a loan to help a young boxer from Bajaur participate in competitions. Part of that loan remains unpaid, but he has no regrets.
“If one athlete goes up, the whole area goes up,” he says.
A job, a dream, an academy.
It is not fame or charity that the worker-athlete desires. His desire is simple, a stable government job that allows him to support his family and dedicate time to building a sports academy. His dream is to bring young people from the former FATA region closer to sports, guiding them towards discipline, opportunities and positive commitment.
From lifting marble stones by day to throwing punches by night, Rizwan continues to fight, not just for medals, but also for dignity, survival and the next generation of athletes.
