ISLAMABAD – Pakistani sailors dominated the medal table as curtains were drawn on the 2nd Chief of the Air Staff International Open Sailing Championship, being held at PAF yacht club, Karachi.
The Championship was comprised of four sailing classes (Laser standard, Laser radial, Optimist, RSX), out of which three sailing classes were of sailing category and one was of windsurfing, said a press release issued here by Directorate of Media Affairs of PAF.
In the RSX category, gold and silver medals were grabbed by Pakistan’s Raja Qasim Abbas and M. Sajjad respectively, while Tunisia’s Mami Safouan claimed the bronze medal.
In the Laser standard category, all medals were clinched by Pakistani sailors – M.Tanveer, Muzammil Hussain and Najeeb-Ullah.
In Laser radial category gold medal was won by Khairunneeta Mohd Afendy of Malaysia, while silver and bronze medals were secured by Pakistan’s Hana Fatima Asad and Marium Asad Ali, respectively.
In Optimist category, gold and silver medals were clinched by Master Panna Boonnak and Miss Thorfun Boonnak of Thailand respectively, while the bronze medal was taken by M. Abdullah Akram of Pakistan.
Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff Pakistan Air Force was the chief guest at the closing ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, the air chief said that flawless conduct of the championship was the manifestation of PAFs commitment in promoting healthy activities, not only at the national level but also at international level. He expressed special gratitude to the international players for their participation in the Championship and said that PAF would provide all-out support for the promotion of water sports in the country.
Later on, the chief guest gave away medals to the winners and runner ups. The championship was played from 23- 27 July, in which 57 sailors and officials from seventeen countries participated. PAF Yacht Club is the best venue for sailing in Pakistan. Also known as a pioneer institution in the country, the Club promotes this exhilarating sport. The Club has been organizing national and international events in collaboration with Pakistan Sailing Federation.