Pakistan’s top judoka Shah Hussain said that the next two months were immensely important for him due to competitive environment of Olympics.
“I know how tough the Olympics will be. I will have to improve in newaza and will have to focus on physical training,” Shah told in an interview.
In exactly a week’s time, judoka Shah Hussain Shah could move one step closer to realising his childhood dream of participating and winning a medal at the Olympics for Pakistan, just like his father Shah Hussain did in boxing at the Seoul Olympics almost three decades ago.
Shah said if he trained according to the plan things would change for him in the next two months. “I can improve a lot as I have enough time,” the athlete said.
He expressed his desire for training in Spain ahead of the Olympics. “Ahead of every Olympics one week training session is held in Spain in which the world’s leading judokas take part. If I was sent there it would help me a lot,” Shah said.
On May 30, the International Judo Federation (IJF) is expected to announce its finalised list of athletes who will be handed an Olympic berth on the basis of the continental quote. And for the younger Shah, who is on the tentative list, that day can’t come soon enough.
Shah will be the first Pakistani judoka to appear in Olympics.
Two shooters, two athletes and two swimmers will also be part of Pakistan’s contingent for Rio. This will be the smallest ever contingent of Pakistan in Olympics.
Pakistan’s first appearance was in the 1948 London Olympics in which the country narrowly missed bronze medal in hockey.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) is expected to officially confirm Shah’s historic entry into the quadrennial spectacle to be held in August.