Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Shah Hussain Shah is on the cusp of becoming the first judoka from Pakistan to take part in the Olympic Games. Despite losing to Brazil’s Rafael Buzacarini last week in last round of the Judo Grand Prix in Almaty, Kazakhstan – which served as qualifiers for this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Shah Hussain has all but sealed his spot at the quadrennial sporting extravaganza through the continental quota. “Despite not being able to win a medal in the qualifiers, Shah Hussain’s good performance saw him bag 246 ranking points and that will see him bag the continental quota in the -100kg category according to the recently-released International Judo Federation (IJF) list,” a Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) spokesman said on Wednesday. “Although the final list will be released on May 30, Shah Hussain’s place is very much certain. At present, things are going in our favour and if the rankings don’t change by the end of this month, Shah Hussain will create history by becoming the first Pakistan judoka to qualify for the Olympics.”

In Rio, Shah Hussain will be looking to emulate his father, boxer Hussain Shah’s feats at the 1988 Olympics. Hussain won bronze during the Seoul Games and is one of only two individual Olympic medallists for Pakistan. The spokesman, meanwhile, added that Shah Hussain needed to work hard for a podium finish. “It will be premature to say how well he will do in the event but nothing is impossible. He has time and if he works hard he can be on the podium in Rio. Since Shah Hussain’s Iranian coach Sajjad Kazmi is on a two-month leave, we might send him to Iran to train under him. We’ve also cordial relations with Iran’s Olympic Committee and will request them to allow Shah Hussain to prepare with their Olympic squad,” he concluded.