KARACHI: Iqra Jillani, Pakistan’s accomplished sports climber, is determined to make history for her country at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, starting on September 23.
With the goal to secure a medal in sports climbing, the ambitious mountaineer has been diligently preparing for this achievement over the past three months.
At the age of 25, Iqra, who holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and works in the energy sector in Islamabad, is one of the five climbers chosen to represent Pakistan in the regional sports event.
Her fellow team members include Amani Jannat, Fazal Wadood, Zaheer Ahmed, and Abuzar Faiz, all of whom collectively aim to bring glory to Pakistan in the field of sports climbing on this international stage.
“We have been working hard for the last three months in our camp under the supervision of the Pakistan Sports Board and Alpine Club of Pakistan. All the athletes are at their best during the training sessions,” Iqra said, speaking with Geo News in an interview.
“We are aiming to put Pakistan among the top three countries in climbing by winning medals at the games,” she hoped.
Sports climbing was first added to Asian Games in 2018 and it is set to make its second appearance this year. The climbing event in the Asian Games this year will be held between September 28 and October 2. Athletes from different countries will compete for six gold medals.
Iqra and Amani are the first Pakistani women to feature in the Asian Games climbing event. In the last edition of the Asian Games, where climbing made its debut, Pakistan was represented by two male athletes – Mushahid Hussain and Sajid Aslam.
“It is an honour and moment of great pride for me to represent Pakistan in the Asian Games,” she said.
