Karachi native Naseem Hameed won Gold medal in SAARC games in 100 meters sprint on Feb. 7 and returned home to Karachi to a great welcome today. This gives her the title of fastest lady in a region which includes some of the most populous countries of the word viz India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The result of the SAARC Games Women’s 100m sprint event was as follows:
1. Naseem Hameed (Pakistan) 11.81 sec
2. Pramila Priyadarshani (Sri Lanka) 11.93 sec
3. Achala Shalika Dias (Sri Lanka) 12.12 sec
She returned to Pakistan today with hundreds of fans greeting her at the airport. In the following photo Naseem Hameed is seen with her parents on her return to Pakistan.
Dawn reports her talking to press and saying:
“I had forgotten the world for six months and trained really very, very hard under my coach Maqsood Ahmed to achieve this. It is a great moment for me to have brought glory to the country in my event after the poor showing by our national cricket team and especially since our athletics standards have been poor of late. I hope my performance will inspire the young athletes to become professionals.â€
I agree with her statement that this is one positive news for Pakistan in sports after the recent cricket debacle.
Photo Credits: Dawn and AP
Thank you for this post Owais. The second picture is just incredible. This too is Pakistan’s story. Her father is a daily wage earner [raj mistry] and she lives in a 40 meter one room house in Korangi Town. I look down at the politicizing of her medal but then that’s how the news spread this far this quickly – it was in every news paper. From a distant memory I remember Hussain Shah after his loss in the Olympic semi final boxing bout mentioning his diet or lack thereof compared to the American Boxer who beat him and I wonder what nutritional regimen Naseem was on; probably just 3 basic meals a day and a struggle to get to the handful of tracks available in Karachi using the overcrowded buses of the city to train. May be one day soon faiz’ lines ‘ meri zaat zarra’ey benisha’n, mera dard naghma’e a besada’ will no longer hold true for so many Pakistani women.
yes i agree with you ( “Well done Naseem. Well done. You have made us all proud.” ) but pakistan win 79 other gold madels why people dont talk about ??????
The achievement of Naseem hammed calls for a celebration by the nation! Despite of all odds where gender roles are heavily constructed her victory is symbolic to women emancipation. In a country where girls public schools are being destroyed. This represents the true face of Pakistan’s multicultural environment.
Fantastic achievement. Well done to her and those that have supported her and of course her coach.
BRAVO!
More comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “Well done Naseem. Well done. You have made us all proud.”
– “Thank God the taliban and mullahs are not in control, otherwise they would have put Naseem in jail instead of celebrating her success.”
– “yUp…. Proud 2 b a pakistani……”
– “Waqai…. naseem Hameed brought Pakistan name on the front … dat was i like da most.
U really deserve it Naseem.
hope 2 c more achievements by u in future.”
– “she hs made us proud”
– ” naseem hameed tussi gr8 ho”
– “thanks nassem this is a gift to us”
– “ANDHYRY MYN EK KIRAN …”