ASTANA: Pakistan won two bronze medals on the first day of the World Nomad Games, a competition featuring sports played by the nomadic peoples of Central Asia.

The competition, which started on Monday in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, will feature over 2,500 participants from 89 nations. A contingent of around 30 Pakistani athletes is also participating in the games.

At the end of the first day, Kazakhstan topped the medals table with 14 golds, three silver and eight bronze medals.

One of Pakistan’s bronze medals came in 70kg mas-wrestling, and Shaffatullah finished joint 3rd with Khijinskiy Dmitry of Uzbekistan.

Wins two bronze medals on first day

One of the Pakistani athletes, Arshaq Naeem, who is participating in the event for the first time, participated in Horseback Archery and stood in 20th place.

While acknowledging the tough competition, Mr Naeem told Dawn that athletes qualifying for the Nomad Games are “the best in the world.”

Horseback Archery — in which athletes have to hit their targets with arrows while galloping — tests not only physical skill but also mental discipline, the athlete said.

A four-member team from Quetta, led by Sadiq Ali, is also competing in Traditional Archery.

“It has been a completely different but confidence-building experience at our first Nomad Games,” Mr Ali, the president of Pakistan Traditional Archery Federation, told Dawn.

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To advance to the finals, Pakistani athletes have to secure a position among the top 16.

Besides archery, Pakistani athletes will compete in wrestling, Tug of War, and other events.

Earlier on Sunday, the event officially kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Astana Arena.

The opening ceremony of the event, presented as a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of nomadic civilisations and the unique sports and traditions passed down through generations, included cultural performances and athletes’ parades.

In his opening address, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasised the “unifying power of nomad games” which served not only to “celebrate traditional sports but to promote global unity and mutual respect”.

“This is the biggest sports competition of its kind in the world. The sport itself is a symbol of respect and solidarity. Its key purpose is to strengthen friendship among nations. Kazakhstan is known to everyone as a land of peace and coexistence.”

The opening ceremony was attended by the heads of states of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkm­enistan, as well as representatives from the World Ethnosport Confede­ration, Unesco, the Organisation of Turkic States, and the EU. The games, part of the Unesco World Heritage List, will feature a range of nomadic sports, including horseback archery, martial arts, falconry, and traditional wrestling.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2024