Olympics 2012: Pakistani athlete Rabia Ishaq runs for deceased friend

MARIA SAEED

KARACHI: Pakistan’s long-distance runner Rabia Ishaq will be motivated by the memory of a recently-deceased friend and colleague when she appears as one of her nation's two female athletes at the London Olympics later this week.

Ishaq, who will be racing in the 800 metre competition scheduled for August 8th, fondly remembers Mubeen Akhtar, one of the country's top athletes who died in June earlier this year.

“I am not a medal contender I know that but I want to dedicate my Olympic appearance to Mubeen who was a close friend and who always wished to compete in the Games,” Ishaq told reporters.

Akhtar was Pakistan's fastest female sprinter in the national championships where she won the 100 and 200 metre sprints. She reportedly died after an accident at her home.

Her family said she tripped down the stairs, sustaining serious head injuries and later died in hospital after being put on a ventilator.

“She was overjoyed when I got a wildcard entry for the Olympics,” Ishaq recalls.

“Mubeen is the motivation for me to try to do well in my event. I want to make her, my coach Bushra Parveen and my country proud of me.”

Apart from the successful men's hockey team who have won three gold, three silver and two bronze medals to date, Pakistan’s athletes have only ever won only two bronze medals in the Olympics.