Pakistan’s karate sensation, Saadi Abbas, is preparing to retire following his participation in the upcoming South Asian Games in Pakistan.
In an interview with a local media outlet in Lahore, the 36-year-old shared his desire to win a gold medal in front of the home crowd before officially retiring from the sport.
In the interview, Saadi Abbas stated “As the South Asian Games are scheduled in Pakistan and because I have never played in front of Pakistani fans, my goal is to play in Pakistan and win a gold medal in my home town. After this, I will bid farewell to karate.”
The top karateka has previously secured gold medals at both the Asian and South Asian levels. He now aims to finish his career on a high note by adding another gold to his collection in the upcoming event, set to be held in Pakistan next year.
In addition to his aforementioned accomplishments, he is a two-time gold medalist at the Commonwealth Championship, a former Asian Champion, and has also won bronze medals twice at the Asian Championships.
While speaking to local media about his retirement decision, the accomplished karateka explained, “I considered retiring from karate due to knee pain before the Asian Games, but the federation encouraged me to win a gold medal for my country at the South Asian Games before stepping away.”
Saadi Abbas mentioned that this encouragement led him to return and compete in the Asian Karate Championship in China, where he won his first fight but lost in the second, noting that the competition was strong. He also stated that he plans to participate in the Commonwealth Championship before the South Asian Games, with intentions to take part in a few more international events afterward.