Things have gone according to script for Pakistan at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Yes, there was a slight miss as the country's leading judoku Shah Hussain settled for bronze in the 90 kg event. He was expected to win a gold or at least a silver medal, given his status as a prominent fighter in the world, who has the experience of playing in two back-to-back Olympics. He defeated South African newcomer Breytenbach Thomas Laszio in the bronze medal match to win his second medal of the Commonwealth Games. At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he won silver in the -100 kg. He won it by Nippon after two minutes and 51 seconds of a hard fought match. Shah's pursuit of gold came to an end when he was narrowly beaten by Australia's Harrison Caesar in the quarter-finals. It was theu first time in his international career that Shah competed in the 90 kg weight category. He decided to move up to this weight from -100 kg soon after falling in the first round at the Tokyo Olympics. Young Pakistani fighter kaiser Khan fell in his first round when he was undone by New Zealand's Jason Koster in the 100 kg pre-quarterfinals, his first bout at the tournament. Shah was the first from Pakistan to win a medal in the ongoing games. Right after him, none other than the highly talented and now veteran weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt gave the country its first gold. Nooh, a super heavyweight athlete, won the +109 kg gold with a record total of 405 kg. He also set new game records in the grab with an effort of 173 kg and a jerk of 232 kg, although not the best. He was a confirmed gold medalist and he knew it himself, and the weightlifting authorities also told me this information with regard to the statistics of the event. And I also mentioned in the weightlifting curtain from Birmingham that Nooh will be playing for gold. Nooh is not a surprise package. He was tested many times and it was expected of him. There is no doubt that he is a top player and needs the proper state patronage. He can become a world champion if we give him the background that a world champion needs. The other weightlifters didn't click. Haider Ali finished fifth in the 81 kg competition. He also injured his elbow in the tackle. Nooh's younger brother Hanzala Dastgir came a poor ninth. He would lift more weight in training but faltered in the main stage. But he is only 19 and was the youngest of the pack in the 109 kghr competition and will learn from his defeat. Up-and-coming sprinter Shajar Abbas is doing well in athletics. No medals are expected from him, but he has proven that he can be a tough sprinter if he is groomed properly. He equaled his personal best of 10.38 seconds in the 100 meters, but missed out on a semi-final spot by a narrow margin. Yes, on Thursday (4.8.) he qualified for the semi-finals in the 200 m race with a time of 21.12. He finished first in his heat. His semi-final was scheduled to take place on Friday.
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