Victorious Pakistan squash juniors return Home
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

ISLAMABAD: The victorious Pakistan squash contingent returned home to a warm welcome in the wee hours of Sunday after winning all but one title at the prestigious British Junior Championship at Sheffield.

The Senior Vice President of Pakistan Squash Federation, Air Marshal Raashid Kaleem was amongst those present at the Islamabad Airport to receive the team which captured three gold medals and one silver in the four categories at Sheffield.

The Pakistanis to win the gold medals at Sheffield were Basit Ashfaq (under-19), Shohaib Hassan (under-15) and Farhan Zaman (under-13). Bilal Zaman won silver medal in the under-17 category. In all the four finals, the Pakistanis took on the Egyptians.

In the under-13 age group, Farhan Zaman defeated Fouad Khalifa 9-2, 9-0, 9-0 in 17 Minutes. In the under-15 age group, Shohaib Hassan beat Ahmed Usama Hawas 10-8, 10-8, 9-1. Omar Abou Zeid beat Pakistani Bilal Zaman 9-5, 9-3, 9-0 in 27 minutes in the under-17 category while in the under-19 age group, Pakistan’s Basit Ashfaq thrashed Egyptian Tarek Mohamed Momen 10-8, 7-9, 9-2, 9-1.

"This is the first time that Pakistanis featured in all the four finals though we had won three gold-medals in 2002 also," said the Pakistan junior coach Rehmat Khan upon his return with the team.

He said all the four Pakistanis, including the silver-medallist Bilal Zaman, had displayed a marvelous game of squash.

He disclosed that an under-17 team would be named soon for the Asian Junior Squash Championship to be played at Chennai (India) from January 27.●