Pakistan Army served a powerful reminder of their sporting prowess, seizing 12 gold medals across multiple disciplines as the National Games charged through a pulsating day of action.
Their goldrush on Sunday was spearheaded by utter dominance in taekwondo and sharp shooting on the ranges.
The clearest demonstration of authority came in the taekwondo Poomsae events, where Army fighters ruled the roost, clinching eight gold medals across age categories.
Their women set the tone: Sana Sabir (Under-50), Naila (U-30), Mehar-Un-Nisa (U-40) and Zeena Sheraz (Under-20) all stood atop the podium. The men followed suit with Adil Hussain (U-30), Mohammad Mumtaz (U-40), Irshad Ali (U-50) and Syed Zohaib (U-20) securing their own golds.
On the shooting ranges, Army and Navy engaged in a high-class duel, sharing three gold medals apiece.
Navy swept the 10m air pistol events, with Rabia Kabir (232.2) edging Army’s Rimsha Nadeem (231.6) for individual glory before teaming with Rasam Gul and Hadia Liaquat for team gold.
Army struck back in the 25m rapid fire pistol through Mohammad Shabbir while Navy’s G. M. Bashir, Maqbool Hussain and Abdul Quddus took the team title.
Army also claimed both skeet Olympic titles, with Imam Haroon (score 49) leading the charge.
Sindh’s first gold
The day’s most dramatic narrative unfolded away from the established powers, as the Sindh women’s netball team rose above a feisty, fractious final to secure a domineering 20-12 victory over favourites Wapda, claiming a statement gold — a first for the contingent.
It was a triumph of provincial grit over a departmental side with year-round training access.
“That makes this even better,” Sindh skipper Quratulain told Dawn. Team-mate Huma echoed the hunger for more support: “We’ll go a long way if we get that opportunity.”
The match itself descended into chaos. After Sindh seized a 13-9 half-time lead, the stifling heat seemed to boil over.
A third-quarter collision escalated into a shoving match. In the final quarter, a Wapda player made an expletive gesture, inciting the crowd. Sindh held their nerve, but sportsmanship evaporated at the final buzzer.
Handshakes were skipped, and an hour later, a sullen Wapda and bronze-winning Army drowned out Sindh’s celebrations with chants of “losers, losers!”
“The girls need their own court,” said Sindh coach Humaira Huma, a pioneer of Pakistan’s first national team. “Today was just a month’s practice. Imagine what they could do.”
In stark contrast, the men’s final was a pure sporting contest, with Army staging a last-gasp comeback to clinch gold 27-26 against Navy.
Hosts overwhelmed
On the basketball court, Army’s men showcased their systemic power, overcoming a raucous home crowd to dismantle Sindh 97-62.
Sindh started strong, leading 6-4 early. “We started brilliantly, but I guess that’s where we spent most of our energy,” Sindh’s leader Ans Azhar told Dawn.
Army’s towering 7’3“ center, Taglub Ammar, proved unsolvable. “We took the competition lightly initially,” Taglub conceded. Once settled, Army took control, leading 15-12 at halftime and stretching it to 20 by the final quarter.
Top-scorer Shiraz Aslam revelled in the atmosphere: “This is what we play for… The crowd made the match very exciting.”
Sindh’s physicality cost them nearly 20 points from free throws.
“We were very physical… you play to win,” said Ans, who vowed improvement: “We will beat those professional sides.”
In women’s basketball, the powerhouses marched on.
Army delivered a merciless 56-6 rout of Balochistan while Wapda, led by Kainat Zafar, powered past Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 66-24.
“We were trying to conserve energy and avoid injuries,” said Kainat, highlighting Wapda’s key advantage. “This chemistry is the advantage we have over provincial teams.”
Crushing win
Other sports saw their opening salvos. In a staggering display, Wapda’s women’s hockey team crushed Balochistan 18-0, with ten players on the scoresheet.
On the badminton courts, stars like Mahoor Shahzad (Wapda) and Palwasha Bashir (Sindh) led their teams comfortably into the semi-finals.
Army and Punjab also ensured progress with dominant wins.
Murad Ali (KP), Pakistan’s number one, led his team into the last-four in the men’s section as his side beat Railways to advance in the semis.
Army and Police also confirmed their berths in the next round.
The fencing mat witnessed a historic gold for the Higher Education Commission (HEC), delivered by Abdul Mussawir, who dashed Balochistan’s title hopes in the final.
Other sports that kicked off on Sunday included, rugby, volleyball, baseball, softball and table tennis.
Action continues across Karachi on Monday, with Army’s golden machine looking to build on a formidable lead, and provincial sides like Sindh aiming to channel their fighting spirit into more podium finishes.
