LAHORE: Pakistan’s rising swimming star Hamza Asif is set to represent the green flag at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, marking another significant milestone in his rapidly progressing career.

Organised by the Olympic Council of Asia and featuring top athletes from across the continent, the Asian Beach Games will see Hamza compete in the Aquathlon event, a demanding combination of swimming and running. His participation not only highlights his personal journey but also reflects Pakistan’s growing ambition in international aquatic sports.

One of the country’s top-ranked swimmers, Hamza enters the prestigious continental event with strong momentum, following a series of standout performances in national competitions. Known for his sprint excellence, he has secured multiple medals and made history by becoming the first Pakistani swimmer to break the 30-second barrier in the 50-meter breaststroke, clocking an impressive 29.99 seconds.

Speaking ahead of the event, Hamza expressed both pride and determination. “I have trained hard for this moment and will give my best to raise Pakistan’s flag high at the Asian Beach Games,” he said. “I am grateful to the Pakistan Olympic Association for their continued support and to ACTIVIT CEO Rd.

Rizwan Aftab Ahmed for his constant guidance. His close involvement in shaping my nutrition, training, and recovery protocols has played a key role in my preparation, alongside the financial backing that has enabled me to compete at this level. With such support, I feel well-prepared to deliver strong results for Pakistan.”

This essential institutional support has played a meaningful role in his performance readiness and overall conditioning. This blend of structured and personalised support is increasingly vital for athletes aiming to perform at elite levels.

Currently a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee Southern, Hamza has also made his mark in collegiate swimming in the United States. Balancing academics, high-performance training, and competition, he continues to sharpen his edge while contributing to his university’s program.

As he prepares to step onto the Asian stage, Hamza Asif carries the hopes of a nation eager to see its swimmers break new ground and bring pride back home.

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Hamza Asif, Pakistan’s rising swimming sensation, has solidified his status as the nation’s fastest swimmer following a record-breaking performance at the 35th National Games in Karachi. With this extraordinary achievement, Hamza has reignited the country’s hopes of qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, reviving Pakistan’s long-quiet dreams of Olympic success in swimming.

The 19-year-old, who began his career as a young trainee at Faisalabad’s Chenab Club, secured three gold medals, one silver, and set a new national record in the 50m breaststroke. His achievements have intensified comparisons with Pakistan’s former Olympic swimmer Iftikhar Ahmed Shah, who represented the country at the 1948 London Olympics, exactly 80 years before the LA Games where Hamza now aims to compete.

Hamza’s journey started far from Pakistan’s competitive swimming hubs. With no 50-metre training pool available in Faisalabad, his grandparents routinely drove him for early-morning practice sessions, while his mother supervised his initial training alongside the pool. His foundational coaching came from Imran Nazir at Chenab Club, where his early potential was first identified.

At the National Games this year, Hamza delivered one of the most dominant swimming performances in recent memory. He won gold in the 100m freestyle, gold in the 50m freestyle (23.65 seconds), gold in the 50m breaststroke, and silver in the 50m butterfly. His 29.99-second finish in the 50m breaststroke made him the first Pakistani swimmer to complete the event under 30 seconds.

Behind his rapid rise lies structured institutional support led by ACTIVIT, a Lahore-based sports science and performance organisation headed by Rd. Rizwan Aftab Ahmed, CEO of ACTIVIT and Director of National Hospital Lahore. Rd. Rizwan, the maternal grandson of Olympic swimmer Iftikhar Ahmed Shah, has personally taken a keen interest in the progress of Hamza Asif, with all three proudly carrying forward the legacy of Aitchison College Lahore, which has the honour of producing some of the great athletes the nation has seen.

Under ACTIVIT’s programme, Hamza receives advanced diagnostics, sports-specific medical supervision, nutritional planning, supplementation, strength and conditioning protocols, and frequent performance tracking. Rd. Rizwan has personally overseen the athlete’s metabolic assessment and diet management, positioning ACTIVIT not merely as a sponsor but as a long-term performance partner.

Support has also come from the BARD Foundation, which identified Hamza at an early stage and funded his international training. Their assistance enabled him to undergo high-performance swimming camps in Thailand, which Hamza credits for refining his technique and improving his competitive maturity.

This international exposure paved the way for his recruitment to the University of Tennessee Southern in the United States, where he now trains as part of the UTS FireHawks programme. Competing in the US collegiate circuit has provided regular access to Olympic-standard pools, professional coaching, and exposure to international-level swimmers.

Hamza’s career trajectory has drawn attention because of its similarities to that of Olympian Iftikhar Ahmed Shah, who represented Pakistan in 1948 after training at Aitchison College. The parallel has become more pronounced with ACTIVIT’s involvement, linking Pakistan’s past Olympic participation with its next credible hope.

Speaking after his National Games performance, Hamza said his focus is firmly on the Olympic cycle. “My target is LA 2028,” he stated. “Every competition from here is part of that preparation.” His family has played a crucial role throughout his journey. His father, acknowledging the growing expectations, said, “We work hard and leave the rest to Allah.” It is hoped that Hamza Asif will work harder and succeed in achieving his biggest dream of representing Pakistan in LA Olympics in 2028.

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Successful Swimming Competitions Promote Healthy Activities for Children in Peshawar Sports Complex
Musarrat ullah Jan

In a vibrant display of aquatic skills and sportsmanship, Peshawar Sports Complex hosted an exhilarating swimming competition on August 14. The event, graced by the esteemed presence of Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Captain Retired Khalid Mehmood, marked a significant step towards fostering healthy engagement among young athletes.

Children’s swimming competitions unfolded across eleven distinct categories, captivating the enthusiasm of a multitude of participants and their supportive parents. The energetic atmosphere at Adil Khan Swimming Pool was further enriched by the spirited participation of Director General Sports’ own sons, adding a touch of familial camaraderie to the event.

Amidst the excitement, Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took a moment to address his son, Azmat, during the competition, symbolizing the unity of purpose in encouraging young talents. He also took the opportunity to distribute prizes to the remarkable participants, embodying the essence of sportsmanship and accomplishment.
The annual swimming competitions, orchestrated under the adept management of the Sports Directorate, highlight a commitment to providing an avenue for constructive and positive pursuits.

Speaking on this festive occasion, Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emphasized the importance of nurturing a wholesome environment that engages children in healthful activities. He reaffirmed his dedication to sustaining the momentum of sports activities, underscoring that the guidelines laid out for various sports will be diligently adhered to.

Commending the pivotal role of the media, Director General Sports acknowledged the positive impact generated by the coverage of sporting events. The media’s role in portraying the vibrancy of sports activities contributes to inspiring both participants and spectators alike.

As the echoes of splashing water and exuberant cheers fade, the legacy of this swimming competition resonates as a testament to the dedication towards cultivating a generation of active and health-conscious individuals.

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The world’s best Para swimmers will meet across the globe in 2023 in the new Citi Para Swimming World Series.

Seven years after its launch the World Series will have a new format, more events, and an exclusive title partner as Citi continues its long-standing support to World Para Swimming in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

The Citi Para Swimming World Series is set to run from February to November in nine cities in the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.

Melbourne, Australia will kick off the season from 17 to 19 February followed by Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy and Sheffield, Great Britain in March.

Indianapolis, USA will host the Citi Para Swimming World Series in April with the season then moving to Singapore, Germany and France in May.

Mexico will welcome the Series in October 2023 with a final stop in Greece still to be confirmed. The complete tentative calendar can be found below.

Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming, said: “It is great to be able to announce the calendar for the 2023 and 2024 Citi Para Swimming World Series. We are proud to have Citi as the title partner of the new Series. It was a key objective for the sport to be able to communicate the calendar further in advance to allow teams and athletes more time to plan their programmes through the seasons.”

“We are also pleased to have four new hosts that will extend the opportunities for international racing to nine events across the year, in four out of five regional areas. The partnership with Citi will help to further grow the World Series and provide volunteer opportunities at the events,” Nicholson added.

“Our team is excited to continue to help drive growth of Para sports through International Federations and change perceptions of people with disabilities,” said Ryan Djabbarah, Citi’s Global Head of Sponsorships, Entertainment & Experiential, “Since 20128, Citi has supported Para swimmers from around the globe and we look forward to seeing these incredible athletes compete on the world stage.”

Ireland’s Para swimmer Ellen Keane said: “I’m so excited to see the announcement of the Citi Para Swimming World Series calendar for 2023 and 2024. The World Series events are integral part of the Para swimming calendar. As an athlete they are a great opportunity for race practise and to compete against the best in the world. The provide important pit stops on the road to the Paralympic Games. I can’t wait to be back racing again at the World Series events.”

Liliana Suarez, President of the Mexican Paralympic Committee, said: “The Mexican Paralympic Committee (COPAME) is more than happy to be part of the Citi Para Swimming World Series following our first event in 2022. Mexico is showing it is ready to receive Para swimmers from around the world.”

Citi Para Swimming World Series 2023-2024 Tentative Calendar

2023 SEASON
17-19 Feb       Australia, Melbourne
9-12 Mar        Italy, Lignano Sabbiadoro
16-19 Mar       Great Britain, Sheffield
20-22 Apr       USA, Indianapolis
5-7 May     Singapore, Singapore
11-14 May       Germany, Berlin
26-28 May       France, Limoges
5-8 Oct      Mexico, Tijuana
9-12 Nov        Greece*, Athens

2024 SEASON
16-18 Feb  Australia, Melbourne
14-17 Mar  Italy, Lignano Sabbiadoro
Dates TBC Great Britain, TBC
18-22 Apr  USA, Indianapolis
3-5 May     Singapore, Singapore
6-9 Jun      France, Limoges
20-23 Jun  Germany, Berlin
TBC Nov     Asia*, Hosts TBC
21-24 Nov  Mexico, Tijuana
7-10 Dec    Greece*, Athens

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The Para Swimming World Series 2022 kicks off in Aberdeen, Great Britain on Thursday (17 February) with the second stop set to start on Friday (18 February) in Melbourne, Australia.

The four-day Para Swimming World Series Great Britain 2022 is the first major competition for the sport since the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games last year. It is an important stepping-stone to this year’s World Championships in Madeira and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The World Series also marks the start of the next Paralympic cycle, which leads to Paris 2024.

Paralympic champion Maisie Summers-Newton will be among the home stars looking to get the new season off to a flying start. She had an outstanding debut at the Games winning the 100m breaststroke SB6 and the 200m individual medley SM6, where she set a world record of 2:56.68. She is hoping to repeat her success in the events at the Aberdeen Sports Village.

The host nation has entered a 54-strong team, which includes all the Paralympic swimming champions from Tokyo. On the starter blocks will be Reece Dunn, who secured a hat-trick and a world record, Tully Kearney, Hannah Russell, Bethany Firth, Jessica-Jane Applegate, and Jordan Catchpole.

“To win two gold medals at my first Paralympic Games was an absolute dream come true and more,” said Summers-Newton. “It’s something I have dreamt of and worked so hard for all of my swimming career so far, so to have them to my name is incredible.

“Waiting an extra year definitely made winning those gold medals and the whole Paralympic experience extra special. I just remember going round the village and thinking I can’t believe I am here.”

The focus has now moved from Tokyo 2020, which was postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, to the launch of a busy 2022 campaign: “This will be my first time competing in Aberdeen and my first World Series event of the season. I feel really excited to be back out there racing again without much pressure and to just enjoy the whole experience,” she said.

“World Series events are so good for us athletes as it gives us the opportunity to race against the world more frequently and gain lots of experience and confidence from them, which is great for the younger athletes.”

IMPRESSIVE VISITORS

There are 97 athletes from 13 countries set to race in Scotland’s third largest city. They will travel from as far as Belgium Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Malaysia, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

Canada’s Danielle Dorris who won gold in the women’s 50m butterfly S7 at Tokyo 2020 is hoping to impress on her first trip to British waters. Other Paralympian visitors include Spain’s Inigo Lloppis Sanz, who won a silver in the men’s 100m backstroke S8 and flying the flag for Brazil will be three-time world champion, Phelipe Melo Rodrigues (S10).

But there will be one notable absence in the GB team. Five-time Paralympic, eight-time world and seven-time European champion, Ellie Simmonds, retired after Tokyo 2020. She was the inspiration for Summers-Newton taking up the sport after watching her win two gold medals at London 2012.

Paying tribute to her idol, who she beat in the finals of her S6 races in Tokyo, she said: “Racing against Ellie at her last Paralympic Games will be a memory I will never ever forget. Watching Ellie at the London 2012 Games inspired me to be where I am today, she also inspired so many other athletes on our team.

“We raced the same races and were there for each other throughout, so they will be memories I will cherish forever. Ellie has always been my hero ever since I was a young girl as she was someone I could relate to in so many ways, because we have the same condition and both swim.”

Summers-Newton’s success in Tokyo was capped off by the announcement last month that she would receive one of the country’s top honours, an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), for her services to swimming.

“Having my name announced in the New Year’s Honours List with an MBE this year is just amazing. As swimmers we are used to the medals you may win in competition, but to be awarded something so prestigious and special is something I am so grateful for.”

The student, from Northampton, who is training to be a primary school teacher at university, will also compete in the 400m freestyle S6 in Aberdeen.

MELBOURNE NEXT

It will be the first time the city has hosted the World Series, which was launched in 2017. Previous events in Great Britain were held in Glasgow and Sheffield.

The competition will also be the first of a multi-year agreement between World Para Swimming and British Swimming to host the Para Swimming World Series in the country through to 2024.

Aberdeen is the first of five legs in the 2022 Para Swimming World Series. The second kicks off in Melbourne on Friday and will run for three days. The third will be in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy from 11 to 13 March, followed by Berlin, Germany from 31 March to 3 April, and end in Indianapolis, USA from 7 to 9 April.

Athletes take part in multiclass races and their results at each Series are calculated using a standardised World Para Swimming points system.

At the end of a World Series’ season the best female and male swimmers’ awards are picked based on rankings. In 2021 Germany’s Elena Krawzow and Spain’s Antoni Ponce claimed the women’s and men’s titles, respectively.

Fabiola Ramirez from Mexico and Alberto Abarza from Chile won the women’s and men’s high-support needs (for athletes in classes S1 to S3), respectively. The junior World Series 2021 winners were Austria’s Janina Falk and Poland’s Alan Ogorzalek.

Israel topped the ranking among National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) with Mexico second and Spain third.

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LAHORE (Jan 18, 2022): Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Noor ul Amin Mengal visited Punjab International Swimming Complex, State of the Art Tennis Stadium and adjacent under-construction six practice tennis pitches in Nishtar Park Sports Complex on Monday.

Director General Sports Punjab Javed Chohan, Project Director PMU Nadeem Anwer, Deputy Director Youth Affairs Umair Hassan and other officials were also with him during the inspection visit.

Director General Sports Punjab Javed Chohan gave a thorough briefing to Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Noor ul Amin Mengal regarding various sports facilities of Nishtar Park Sports Complex and their functions.

Talking on this occasion, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Noor ul Amin Mengal appreciated the valuable sports facilities in Nishtar Park Sports Complex. “These facilities are no less than an asset and our young talented male and female players must avail these facilities to the maximum and polish their sports skills”.

Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Noor ul Amin Mengal further said that the tennis academy at Nishtar Park Sports Complex will be made more effective and operative so that budding players of the province could take maximum benefit out of this outstanding facility.

He also directed the officers concerned to complete the under-construction six practice tennis pitches adjacent to State of the Art Tennis Stadium as early as possible.

Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Noor ul Amin Mengal said that the talented players will be provided top level sports facilities so that they can win laurels in national and international sports competitions. “Bringing youngsters towards sports activities is our mission and we will utilise all our resources for this purpose”.

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Islamabad:Froebels International School Margalla Campus lifted the swimming competitions of the Women Sports Festival here at Swimming Pool, Pakistan Sports Complex on Saturday.
Froebels International School was awarded the best school swimming team while Lahore Grammar School Islamabad Campus was the runner up team.
Dua Usman was the best swimmer of 8 and under while Raaqiah Aqeel was best swimmer of 10 and under.

Haania Irfan (Best swimmer 12 and under), Ayeshah Saad (Best swimmer 14 and under), Maham Ali (Best swimmer 16 and under) and Raaidah Aqeel (Best swimmer open age) were the other winners.
Shazia Ejaz, Assistant Director Pakistan Sports Board, who is also the Organizing Secretary said more then 100 players participated in the event. He told that tenpin bowling and futsal competitions will be played on Sunday at Jinnah Park Rawalpindi and Rodhall Hall, respectively. The Women Sports Festival in connection with World Women Day, is being played on the special instructions of Federal Minister IPC, Dr. Fehmida Mirza and Director General, Pakistan Sports Board, Amina Imran

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LAHORE : The swimming camp of Pakistan special swimmers started with the collaboration of Sports Board Punjab (SBP) at State of the Art Punjab International Swimming Complex here on Friday.

The swimming camp is being conducted for the preparation of Special Olympics World Summer Games scheduled to be held at Abu Dhabi in March 2019. It’s pertinent to mention here that Pakistan contingent will feature in the Special Olympics World Summer Games under the banner of Special Olympic Pakistan.

Sports Board Punjab’s expert coaches are imparting training to male and female swimmers at the swimming camp.

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LAHORE: Sports Board Punjab (SBP), under the directives of Secretary Sports Muhammad Aamir Jan, has launched a swimming camp of Pakistan special swimmers at State of the Art Punjab International Swimming Complex here on Wednesday.

The swimming camp is being conducted for the preparation of World Summer Games scheduled to be held at Abu Dhabi in March 2019. It’s pertinent to mention here that Pakistan contingent will feature in the World Summer Games under the banner of Special Olympic Pakistan.

Sports Board Punjab’s expert coaches are imparting training to as many as 30 male and female swimmers at the swimming camp being held under the supervision of Director Sports Muhammad Anees Sheikh.

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LAHORE: Director Admin SBP Javed Chohan said that Punjab govt, as per the vision Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has taken various useful measures for the growth of sports in the province. “The ongoing elite swimming training and coaching camp at State of the Art Punjab International Swimming Complex is also a part of that campaign,” Director Admin Javed Chohan said this in a statement on Thursday.

Director Admin Javed Chohan said the swimming camp is being organized on the directives of Secretary Sports Punjab Muhammad Aamir Jan. “The participating young swimmers have been divided into three categories – non-swimmers, beginners and intermediate. We are imparting the swimming training to youngsters very systematically. Every swimming coach has been assigned six young swimmers so that he can train his group properly as per their age and status,” he explained.

Director Admin Javed Chohan said this type of high-profile swimming camp will prove to be very helpful in producing national and international champions. “Expert coaches are there to deliver vital training to talented youngsters through various drills at world class State of the Art Punjab International Swimming Complex,” he added.

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