KARACHI:
Mr Universe/ Mr World Rameez Ibrahim Khan enjoyed a stellar success with his team when all four Pakistani participants won a total of 13 medals at the Global Powerlifting Bodybuilding International in Dubai.
Rameez also represented Pakistan at the event, which featured more than 25 countries, as the head judge and a youngest one amongst them too.
But the huge success by Pakistani squad including Sumair Ahmed, Furqan Raza, Jawwad Ahmed, and Anjum Warsi also left Rameez wondering how the accolades for Pakistan could be won if all of the contingent got the chance to participate in Dubai.
He revealed that there were supposed to be 25 athletes from Pakistan who were to come, but due to stricter visa policy by Dubai authorities, we only got the approval for four, three bodybuilders and one powerlifter. But despite the drawback these four have stunned the world with their performances.
“The event went very well with participants with more than 25 countries competing in different events, we were all socialising together, under one umbrella, but Pakistan had a great time both on the field and off it,” Rameez told The Express Tribune.
“As the youngest international judge I was feeling extremely proud with judges from Italy, Germany, Hungary, India, Egypt, Sri Lanka, when they were judging our athletes I was happy that our boys were impressing them.”
“But more importantly I was thinking how Pakistan could have completely dominated the event had the rest of the bodybuilders gotten their visas.”
But regardless of the drawback, Pakistan team won the points trophy too along with individual gold medals by all four participants.
He also shared his vision for the future of bodybuilding and powerlifting in the country.
“I will also compete in the future too,” he explained. “I will take the teams and set Pakistan’s history to help the next generation succeed on the international level. I have won many medals on my own, but in the last four years the teams that I have taken abroad to events in different countries, like taking three tours each year, I have gotten 60+ medals in these last 12 tours, most of them are gold and the rest are silver and bronze. No one has won accolades this quickly in bodybuilding, my aim is that athletes from all over Pakistan can get the opportunity to shine.”
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