ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has qualified for the prestigious Olympic Winter Games (OWG) to be held in Sochi, Russia in February next year after participating in International Ski Federation (FIS) races held in Europe and Asia. The Dispatch Nes Desk (DND) reports.
According to Ski Federation of Pakistan (SFP) official, Pakistan has attained the required FIS points thus ensuring a birth in the event, reported a private news channel.The Pakistani contingent comprising one coach and three athletes participated in the FIS races held from February 17 to March 18. The races were held in Italy, Lebanon and Turkey.
The contingent was sent for participation in the events in order to achieve the qualification points for OWG 2014. Mir Nawaz, Karim and M Abbas of Pakistan Ski team have achieved 137, 130 and 122 FIS points respectively.
It is worth mentioning that the national flag was hoisted in the Winter Olympics for the first time when Muhammad Abbas of PAF participated in the Giant Slalom discipline of Alpine Skiing during the Olympic Winter Games 2010, held in Vancouver, Canada.
The SFP after achieving this milestone is making continuous efforts to uphold the country’s name in succeeding Olympics and with the same aim, the Pakistani contingent was sent to participate in the FIS races.
Moreover, SFP has a large number of talented athletes who have the ability to qualify for the Olympics.
Skiing is fast gaining popularity in Pakistan and a national championship is held in the northern Karakoram Mountains far from the stifling plains of Punjab, where summer temperatures can top 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). The SFP, formed in 1990, is run by the Pakistan Air Force.
