kARACHI: Pakistan’s presence at the London Olympics dwindled further on Tuesday as swimmer Israr Hussain and shooter Khurram Inam made their exits.

 Pakistan’s only representativesleft in London now are Rabia Ashiq (800m), Liaqat Ali and the hockey team after swimmer Anum Bandey 
also  bowed out.

Hussain failed to qualify for the 100m freestyle after he finished last at the Aquatics Centre. The 26-year old, who was competing in his first Olympics, recorded a time of 57.86 seconds. Hussain was given a wild-card entry to participate in the Games based on his performance at the Shanghai Qualifiers.

Inam, participating in his third Olympic Games after Sydney in 2000 and Athens 2004, crashed out after he scored 20 and 25 in the last two rounds on day two of the qualifiers.

Previously, Pakistan’s top skeet shooter had fired a total of 67 scoring 21, 23 and 23 in the first three rounds respectively.                                 

                                                   

London Olympics 2012: Hockey pride!

 I grew up in a neighbourhood where there were seasons of sports. Every time there was a major hockey competition, it’d be a hockey season.

We had two levels of it: first we’d play in our street and then there would be a match with the boys from the other street in the big playground. Not all of us owned hockey sticks – most would climb trees and find a naturally bent stick (usually the joint would provide the required bend) from the tree and play with that.

That was the 90s!

When I saw our boys, today, standing with their hands on their chests while the national anthem was being played in London, it reminded me of the glory days; the 1994 World Cup. I was only 10-years-old back then, but I distinctly remember the celebrations when Mansoor Ahmed stopped that penalty and I started dancing.