Pak team to participate in International Taekwondo Championship

Eight members of Pakistan Taekwondo team Thursday left for Nepal to participate in the forthcoming 2nd Mount Everest International Taekwondo Championship to be commencing from May 3-5, 2014.

Talking to media, head of the delegation and former international Taekwondo player Ilyas Afridi disclosed that the team comprising three players and four officials including an international referee Nadeem Ahmad.

He said a total of 15 countries of the world are taking part in the championship organized by Nepal Taekwondo Association with the collaboration of International Nepalese Taekwondo Association, Port LandUSA.

He said besides him, Nadeem Ahmad is acting as Technical Official (TO) and international referee, Muhammad Asad Khan (Manager), Muhammad Sheraz (coach), Muhammad Ayaz Khan (fin weight -54kg) feather weight Muhammad Shahbaz (-66kg), light weight Muhammad Asif (-75kg).

Ilyas Afridi said Ayaz Muhammad Khan is hailing from Swat who is competing in fin weight (-54kg) while the other two players Muhammad Shahbaz and Muhammad Asif are hailing from Haripur, and competing in feather weight and light weight which is a good sign for the upcoming talented players of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Ilyas said he is confident enough that the boys would give good result in the championship as the Pakistan Taekwondo Federation have selected the team on merits.

Ilyas Afridi, who is also President of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taekwondo Association, lauded the efforts of President Pakistan Taekwondo Federation Col. Waseem Ahmad Janjua and Secretary Murtaza Hassan Bangash for striving hard as far as promotion of the game of Taekwondo in Pakistan is concerned.

He said that Pakistan is very famous in the game and had the achievement of becoming Champion in SAF Games twice while Pakistan had also top position in the World Military Taekwondo Championship. He said that Pakistan got significant role in the world of Taekwondo and now considered as emerging nation.