The first-ever national competition to determine the fastest men and women in different categories will be held on October 8 at Punjab Stadium in Lahore. This was announced by Brigadier (retired) Wajahat Hussain, President of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), on Wednesday.
The event will see male and female athletes from all over the country competing, representing various departments, provinces, and regional associations.
Brigadier Wajahat highlighted the importance of the event, noting that its goal is to promote athletics and discover Pakistan’s fastest men and women. All participants are expected to arrive at Punjab Stadium by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the competition.
Events of this nature come at a crucial time for Pakistan, with the nation still revelling in the success of Olympic hero Arshad Nadeem and Paralympic great Haider Ali.
The success of the aforementioned authorities came with little backing or support at an infrastructural level, with national athletes often having little to no proper access to training.
It is hoped that with the promotion of events such as this, Pakistan will potentially uncover more athletes that could represent the country on an international level and that those athletes may be supported better in the future.