National Archery Championship begins

The 5th edition of the National Archery Men and Women Championship under the aegis of FATA Olympic Association and with the collaboration of Pakistan Archery Federation got under way here at Qayyum Sports Complex on Tuesday. PA Khyber Agency Captain Khalid Mehmood (Retd) was the chief guest on this occasion who formally inaugurated the Championship and surprising hit a bull-eye from the 50m distance during inauguration ceremony.
Speaking on this occasion, Captain Khalid Mehmood (Retd) said that he love to play archery and daily doing his archery training since childhood. He also lauded the main sponsor of the Championship Shahid and Brothers Tyres Company to come up and extended support both morally and financially.
He said it is very encouraging and will portray soft image of FATA to the rest of the world. He said the people of FATA are peace loving and want that peace should be prevailed in the entire world. Flanked by President FATA Olympic Association (FOA) Shahid Khan Shinwari, Vice President Pakistan Olympic Association Syed Aqil Shah, Director Shahid and Brothers Tyres Company Wali Khan, Adnan Ahmad of Bank Al-Falah, Secretary Pakistan Archery Federation Muhammad Wisal, PA Khyber Agency Khalid Mehmood termed the event a new beginning. He said the Championship will also provide a chance to show their skills for the upcoming players.
Holding of any activities f or just three days by spending millions of rupees does not mean promotion of sports in FATA rather concrete steps should be taken to involve the youth in healthy sports activities at grassroots level, Shahid Khan said while welcoming the guests.
He disclosed that for the first time in the history that FATA Olympic Association is organising the National Archery Championship where more than 100 archers in three different categories comprising Men individual, Women Individual, Men Team event, Women Team event and Mixed (Men & Women) are taking part.
Teams from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Army, Pakistan Wapda, Pakistan Police, Higher Education Commission (HEC), and host FATA are taking part. Muhammad Wisal Khan disclosed that the first National Archery Men and Women Championship held in 2011 in Peshawar under the aegis of KP Olympic Association. He also thanked FATA Olympic Association and Shahid & Brothers Tryes Company for their support. He also thanked President Pakistan Olympic Association Lieutenant General Syed Arif Hassan (Retd) for reposing confidence in him. Wali Khan said he would continue support sports activities, specially in FATA where youngsters suffered a lot. Men and Women categories have 72 shoots before counting the score in individual, team and mixed events.