Pakistan wrestler Inayatullah has said he is aiming for a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “Yes, the target is achievable. I can win a medal in 2024 Olympics if the government starts supporting me from this year,” Inayat told Pakistan daily The News.
Inayat, 19, grabbed bronze in the 2018 Youth Olympics after defeating US wrestler Carson Taylor Manville 3-1 in the 65kg in Buenos Aires. The Pakistan government awarded the young wrestler the prize money of Rs five million for the achievement.
“I know the standard around the world and I believe in myself and with god’s grace make Pakistan proud,” Inayat said. Inayat’s father Zahid Khan remained national champion for over a decade besides claiming medals in the international circuit.
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Inayat was roped in by WAPDA after he won gold in the 2012 National Under-14 event for a minor stipend of Rs 5000. Now he is a permanent employee of the department and is in Grade-16.
Currently, he is nursing a knee injury and has been advised by doctors to take rest and do rehabilitation for six months. “I am doing light training and hopefully will recover within the stipulated period,” Inayat said.
He sustained the injury while training for the Peshawar National Games last year where he won gold while playing with the injury. Later he won gold in the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal.
“I wanted to add to my feathers and did not even let my father know exactly about the injury,” Inayat said. “I had in mind a seat in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but when I got injured I felt it was not possible. Now that the Olympics have been delayed I am looking forward to trying my luck in the qualifiers after recovering from the injury,” said Inayat, an exceptionally talented grappler.
Inayat was trained for around 12 years at Peshawar by Mohammad Naeem, an international wrestler of Afghanistan. Inayat says that with support from fans and the government he can achieve the big the target of the Olympic medal.
Inayat said that he can achieve big targets if he is supported. “Naeem worked hard with me to help me achieve what he could not achieve as a wrestler because of a bullet injury,” said Inayat, who has around 35 players training under him at his academy. “I am a coach too, training around 35 wrestlers in Peshawar,” he said.
