Champions return home from Commonwealth Games

LAHORE: The Pakistani wrestling team returned home today, after winning gold and bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

Inam Butt gave Pakistan their lone gold medal of the tournament in the wrestling event at the games while Tayyab Raza and Mohammad Bilal won bronze for Pakistan.

Butt had completely outclassed his opponent Melvin Bibo of Nigeria in the final of 86kg weight category.

A two-time gold medallist, Butt had previously won a gold medal at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010.

Speaking to the media on his arrival, he said that if more attention was paid to sports like weightlifting, it wouldn’t be too long before Pakistan would be winning a gold at the Olympics.

He also appealed to the government and the private sector to work on the sport’s encouragement and demanded that a proper academy be set up to encourage wrestling.

According to Butt, wrestling and weightlifting are two of the most popular sports in Pakistan at the moment and should be given importance as well.

Comparing himself to his Indian counterparts, he said that the Indian wrestlers trained for six months in the United States and that they have already started preparing for the next games.

Pakistan won five medals at the Gold Coast Games, winning four bronze and one gold medal.