After an aspiring athlete went viral, his dreams might actually come true. Asif’s life took a turn for the better when a video clip of him jumping over 11 motorcycles went viral.
Not the usual recruitment route for an Olympic athlete but would he have had a shot otherwise?
Imagine finding him, working on him and preparing him for olympics long jump… pic.twitter.com/kEozipEmvV
— Kalim Khan (@Kallerz37) August 2, 2020
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One Twitter user shared the clip of the boy. He also shared two other clips of the boy attempting other difficult jumps.
And another – pic.twitter.com/0xmq6xZukn
— Kalim Khan (@Kallerz37) August 3, 2020
Olympic athletes start training at a very young age. That requires time, dedication, and most of all money. Asif from Thatta, Sindh doesn’t really fit that bill. Yet a viral video provided him an opportunity his socio-economic background would have kept him from.
Despite any formal training, the boy was that good. Netizens wanted the relevant authorities to find and train this guy.
A potential future Olympian for Pakistan! With no training, ordinary shoes and normal technique, he did this… Imagine this guy getting proper guidance from a pro! Someone, please find him!!! https://t.co/hRIN6w3vZd
— MinVerden (@Agkiyani) August 2, 2020
The way he took off – whilst maintaining the aero dynamicity of his body with immense change at landing is superb. Should train for the Olympics.@ImranKhanPTI @ArifAlvi https://t.co/5Jl9VKUTvE
— Shazè (@Balfourtelav) August 2, 2020
Amazing 😍 https://t.co/T7Ksxklsj0
— Shaniera Akram (@iamShaniera) August 2, 2020
According my rough calculation, the boy jumped at least 22 feet. High school records in Pakistan are 21 feet or ao. Pakistan's Long Jump national record is 25.5 feet and World Record is 29.3 feet. This boy can reach the Olympics with proper training! @ImranKhanPTI
— Voice of R 🇵🇰 (@ActivistFirst01) August 3, 2020
Good thing they did. Soon after Asif became a viral phenomenon, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan invited him to train with them.
After this video went viral, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan traced and contacted this amazing talent – Asif from Thatta – and invited him for further training. https://t.co/AjnLn7i62n
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) August 3, 2020
Even Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis believes in the boy’s potential. As a renowned track and field athlete and Olympian, we better take his word for it.
Actually with his lack of fear, he has the perfect mindset. https://t.co/qYOTX40Cvn
— Carl Lewis (@Carl_Lewis) August 3, 2020
This is what Asif managed to do as an amateur. Without any training or equipment. With the proper training, imagine all that he could accomplish. When it comes to sportsmen, the biological clock is not on their side.
Since they’re genetically gifted physically, with age, their abilities regress. Not to mention the reduced healing that makes it hard for them to bounce back after an injury.
Now that the Pakistan Federation of Athletics is training Asif, they better make the most this natural talent. He must be provided access to the right opportunities on time.
Meanwhile, the boy wonder himself told a news outlet that he wants to attempt to break the world record for making the biggest jump. According to Guinness World Records, Bob Beamon holds the current record for 29 feet and 2.5 inches.
He has held the record since he set a new world record on October 18, 1968 at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Let’s hope we keep seeing more of this aspiring sportsmen soon enough.
