PESHAWAR:Emerging squash player Umair Khan left for International Qatar Junior Open Squash Championship to be commencing from May 15, 2022 at Doha Squash Complex.
Before leaving for Qatar from Islamabad International Airport through Qatar Airways, Umair Khan told media men that he is going to represent Pakistan in Qatar Junior U-15 category. Umair Khan, who recently achieved the title of Champion in which players from all over Pakistan participated and he is proud that he got the winner trophy of the Pakistan Day All Pakistan National Junior Squash Championship from former 10th times World Champion Jahangir Khan in Karachi Squash Complex.
Umar Khan is the grandson of former World Champion Azam Khan, said that he has won Pakistan U11 No. 1, U13 No. 1 and now grabbed the U15 No.1 spot of winning various national events including national events in the age group U11 and U13 categories.
He said that he won the KL Junior Malaysian Squash Championship (Platinum Event) in Malaysia and won the honor for the country in the International Junior Singapore Open in Singapore. He said that he had reached the semi-finals of KP Junior Squash Championship, Bank of Khyber National Junior Squash Championship and Chief of the Air Staff National Junior Championship.
Umair Khan’s coach Muhammad Waseem, who is also coach of the Directorate General Sports, also lauded Umair Khan for his hardworking approach and expressed the hope that he would show his class in the world of squash very soon.
Muhammad Waseem said that long stature Umair Khan has good reaching and hopefully he would be among top players in future at national and international events. Umair Khan said that he has won the titles of U13 events in 2020, All Pakistan National Championship and KP Junior Championship in 2021.
Umair said that he has recently reached the semi-finals of All Pakistan Junior Championship held in Islamabad.
He said that he wanted to make a name for himself in squash after watching the games of former World Champions Jahangir Khan and eight times world champion Jansher Khan. He also thanked Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khalid Khan, former DG Sports Asfandyar Khan and Junaid Khan and President KP Squash Association former World Champion Qamar Zaman for extending all out support to him.
It is to be noted that in the recent trials organized by Bank of Khyber wherein squash players from all over Pakistan took part, Umair Khan took top position and was selected for the BoK Squash Scholarship.
Umair Khan won the first position and Bank of Khyber is now extending and providing full support to Umair as far as financial support is concerned. When asked about the training, he said that he is training for six to seven hours daily and insha’Allah he will continue his hard work in the same way so that he can make the name of the country and the nation bright in the time to come.
Umair said that he would continue to work hard again in his game training at Qamar Zaman Squash Complex, situated at Peshawar Sports Complex and feeling fit for the upcoming Qatar Junior International Squash event. He also thanked his physical trainer Adnan Khan. He said that physical fitness is very important for the athlete so he is focusing on his physical fitness because a healthy mind resides in a healthy body.