Nasib Shah Shinwari
LANDIKOTAL: A young table tennis player from the beautiful valley of Swat has won a gold medal and become champion on the first day of the New Year 2019 by winning first minister all Pakistan open table tennis championship 2018 in Peshawar.
Talking to Fata voice news, Shah Khan said that he along with other colleagues from Swat regions participated in all open Pakistan open table tennis tournament organized by Absar welfare foundation and youth empowering and ancillary services private limited with the financial support of the directorate of sports and youth affairs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that he defeated Fahad Khwaja, a several time national and provincial table tennis champion in the single men final match and won the gold in first minister all Pakistan open championship 2018.
He said that before this tournament he has won two times gold medals in under 15 national championships and was a runner-up of the same games in the recent past.
He said that he was in the 7th position in the master cup tournament recently held.
Shah Khan said that he has also snatched first position during inter-provincial games and was also the winner of the under 23 games.
“Our Khyber Pakhtunkhwa table tennis team placed on 3rd position in team events during the 55th all Pakistan senior national championship 2018 held in Lahore from 10th December to 15th December 2018”. Khan said
According to the young player ‘Shah Khan’, he has been playing table tennis for the last six years and due to the proper coaching and practice at Swat table tennis academy under the supervision of Azhar Ahmad his game was improving day by day.
He said many brilliant players of table tennis from Swat regions have represented Pakistan in various international sports championships and have earned a good name for Pakistan and Swat region.
On phone, Shah Khan told that he received 3rd position in South Asian table tennis championships during 2017 and 2018 year in the junior cadet category held at Sari Lanka and the Maldives respectively.
He thanked and applauded the officials of the directorate of sports and youth affairs for sponsoring him to participate in the international table tennis championships.
He said although there was a sports complex in Swat valley on the distance of some two hours from our village the sports complex had a notable tennis hall.
He said that Azhar academy has produced many talented table tennis players in Swat and demanded the government to construct a table tennis hall at Swat sports complex and encourage the table tennis players of Swat valley with financial assistance.
It is to mention here that first minister all Pakistan open table tennis championship 2018 was organized by Absar Welfare foundation and youth empowering ancillary services limited at Qayum sports complex Peshawar from 29th December to 1st January 2019 where more than 50 players across Pakistan participated.
Fahad Khwaja of Peshawar placed in runner position in single men matches while Iqra Rahman also won gold medal by defeating Saba of Islamabad in single women matches of the championship.
