Pakistan’s sprint queen Naseem returns to a warm welcome
12 February, 2010
KARACHI: Pakistan’s sprint queen Naseem Hameed returned to a tumultuous welcome here on Thursday after a historic performance at the 11th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in Dhaka, Bangladesh and hoped her feat would inspire other female athletes in the country. The 22-year-old clocked 11.81 seconds to clinch gold medal in the 100-metre race at the SAF Games Sunday, becoming Pakistan’s first female athlete to win the sprint in the competition’s 26-year history. Naseem returned with the fourth and last batch of the Pakistan contingent from Dhaka and got a welcome that is usually reserved for cricketers or hockey players in Pakistan.
“I achieved this success because of the prayers of my family and country people and I hope that my success will be an inspiration for other female athletes to do well at international level,” Naseem told reporters at the airport. Naseem has been awarded cash prizes of Rs 500,000 from Pakistan’s sports ministry, Rs 200,000 from Karachi Mayor Mustafa Kamal, Rs 100,000 from the Pakistan Athletics Federation, from Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibaad Rs 500,000 and from President Asif Ali Zardari Rs one million.
Pakistan lawmakers have demanded a full-time job and house for Naseem who comes from Karachi’s impoverished slum area of Korangi. The athlete said she was elated by the reception. “I am on cloud nine,” Naseem said. “I had forgotten the world for six months and trained really very, very hard under my coach Maqsood Ahmed to achieve this.” Pakistan’s Shabana Akhtar won two gold medals for long jump in the 1993 and 1995 SAF Games. Naseem said the win has encouraged her to go onto greater heights. “It is a great moment for me to have brought glory to the country in my event since our athletics standards have been poor of late. And I will do my best to compete and win at higher levels like the Commonwealth Games and Olympics,” she vowed.
Pakistan’s sports minister Ijaz Jakharani pledged full support. “These athletes are our assets and we will send them to the Commonwealth Games as well as the Olympics in the future,” Jakharani said. Marvi Memon, a member of the National Assembly, demanded special funds for female athletes. “Naseem’s victory is superb and to achieve more of this we must establish a specific fund to support female sports in the country, particularly to encourage those from poor families,” Memon said.
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