As many as 38 nations, 873 participants to compete in the 8th WT President’s Cup Asian Region
KARACHI: Pakistan is set to host one of the biggest international taekwondo competitions in its history, with the 8th World Taekwondo President’s Cup Asian Region scheduled to take place at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Lahore from August 17 to 21.
The five-day tournament, the first G-3 level event of its kind to be staged in Pakistan, is expected to attract around 38 countries, with athletes competing in both kyorugi and poomsae. The competition will also provide Asian fighters with a crucial opportunity to test themselves ahead of next month’s Asian Games to be held in Japan.
Pakistan Taekwondo Federation’s (PTF) chairman Col Wasim said preparations for the event had entered their final phase, with the federation confident of delivering a competition of international standards.
“Yes, we are giving finishing touches to the preparations,” Wasim told The Express Tribune. “It’s a big event which will feature around 38 countries from across the world.”
The scale of the tournament is reflected in the participation figures. A total of 873 participants are expected, including 609 athletes and 262 officials.
The kyorugi competition will have the largest field, with 425 athletes and 184 officials, while 101 athletes and 43 officials will take part in poomsae. The para event will feature another 84 athletes and 35 officials.
Several of Asia’s strongest taekwondo nations are sending sizeable contingents. South Korea is expected to arrive with 60 athletes and officials, Iran with 70, Uzbekistan with 50, Kazakhstan with 35, Jordan with 22 and Saudi Arabia with 20.
Australia, England, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Nepal are among the other countries expected to field teams.
The arrival of international officials has also begun. Games Committee chairman Abdul Quddus Mohammad Ishaq, who is also the Secretary General of UAE Taekwondo Federation has reached Lahore to inspect arrangements at the Jinnah Sports Complex.
The event is also expected to attract senior officials from the international and Asian taekwondo bodies. The World Taekwondo vice-president and president of the Asian Taekwondo Union are expected to attend, while members of the ATU council have also been invited to witness the competition.
For the PTF, staging the tournament in Lahore represents a deliberate move to take international taekwondo beyond its traditional base. The federation has previously hosted G-1 and G-2 events in Islamabad, but opted for Lahore this time in an effort to expand the sport’s popularity and reach a wider audience.
Wasim stressed that the federation was organising the event independently and had not sought financial or organisational assistance from the Pakistan Sports Board.
“We are handling it alone with the assistance of our sponsors,” he said.
According to Wasim, preparations have been underway for around two and a half months, with the federation now focused on ensuring that the tournament provides a strong international showcase for Pakistan.
“We have been working on it for the last two and a half months and now the things are going to become a big reality,” he said. “You will see how the spectacle will be conducted. We would not leave any stone unturned in making this event a big success.”
While the tournament is a major organisational challenge, it will be an equally demanding examination for Pakistan’s fighters.
Wasim believes the level of competition will provide a realistic indication of Pakistan’s prospects at the Asian Games.
“It would be a tough test for our fighters and those who will win medals here will also win medals in the Asian Games,” he said.
Pakistan will be looking towards experienced international campaigners including Haroon Khan, Shahzeb Khan and Hamza to lead the challenge. The trio have competed extensively on the international circuit and have demonstrated the ability to defeat highly ranked opponents when they produce their best performances.
The presence of some of the world’s leading taekwondo nations, however, means Pakistan’s fighters will have little room for error. The tournament will expose them to high-level opposition and provide valuable competitive experience before the Asian Games.
The PTF has emerged as one of Pakistan’s more active sports federations in recent years, regularly hosting international competitions as part of its efforts to develop the sport and provide domestic athletes with greater exposure.
Teams are expected to begin arriving in Lahore from August 14, three days before the competition officially gets underway.
Wasim acknowledged the difficulties involved in staging an event of such magnitude but said the effort was essential for the long-term development of Pakistan’s sporting landscape.
“Although it’s not easy to hold such major events, these are very important if we are to develop our sports,” he said.
With hundreds of athletes from nearly four dozen countries descending on Lahore, the President’s Cup will offer Pakistan more than just a week of competition. For the country’s taekwondo community, it will be a chance to showcase its organisational capabilities, expose its fighters to elite opposition and demonstrate that Pakistan can host major international sporting events.