Adil Najam
Muhammad Abbas made Pakistan’s Winter Olympics debut today.
We already have a post on Abbas’s remarkable trip from learning skiing on home-made planks in Pakistan’s Northern Areas to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, but these Associated Press pictures from his run today are quite stunning and we thought they deserve a separate post.
The event was Alpine Skiing – Men’s Giant Slalom. I have only now learnt that Giant Slalom is a type of alpine skiing where the skier has to ski between sets of between 56 to 70 poles or gates. From what I can understand of the results, of the 81 who finished, Mohammad Abbas was at number 79 with a time of 3:20.58; trailing behind him were Marino Cardelli of San Marino and Jamyang Namgial of India. Gold was taken by Swiss skier Carlo Janka with a time of 2:37.83, Silver by Norwevian Kjetil Jansrud and Bronze by Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal.
It is not often that one sees such spectacular snow action pictures of a Pakistani skier, so enjoy!
Request to the blogosphere pundits!
Your punching bag (President Zardari) has decreed change of name of Northern Areas to Gilgit Baltistan. Use the appropriate name plz.
Congrats to Abbas and lots of duas and wishes for his future success. Lets hope that the people and govt of Pakistan doesnt add him in the list of numerous unsung hereos. I hope that our media gives him the much required coverage and the govt advances him (and the sport) the much needed support. Good work Abbas, just dont lose faith in your self and your prayers.