Pakistani equestrian Usman Khan rides Azad Kashmir to Tokyo Olympics 2020
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| Pakistani-equestrian-Usman-Khan-rides-Azad-Kashmir-to-the-Olympic (photo credit, Al Jazeera.com) |
At
Tokyo 2020, first Pakistani equestrian has qualified for the Olympics games. He
will compete with a horse named after the disputed region.
Usman
Khan, son of a retired Pakistan’s army major is a self-made athlete and solely
believes in persistent struggle. He was seven years old when he started lessons
at the Calvary Ground, Pakistan’s army riding school in Lahore.
At the
age of 17, as an athlete Usman khan was sponsored by coca-cola international to
participate in Quest youth international expedition. He also won three gold,
two silver and a bronze medal at local competitions and resultantly qualified
for the national athletic championship tournament.
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Usman khan had also qualified for the 2014 Incheon and 2018
Indonesia Asian Games with “Al-Buraq” but due to high travelling cost he could
not participate in those events.
Khan`s
motivation has always been about Pakistan. As an athlete, he wanted to compete
at the Olympics level. He believes in himself and, above all the might of
Allah.
Usman khan has now set his eyes on keeping the flag of Pakistan high at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
After his qualification for Olympics, he said to Geo.tv that “For me, this is not a matter of simple qualification, it is the journey of spirited and ambitious Pakistan,”
The country's top equestrian said that it is considered an elitist and unpopular sport in Pakistan, unheard by the majority of people, and obviously, it is a very expensive sport. The challenges to compete at the Olympics level have been numerous that has taken a physical and financial toll on him.
It was a culmination of 15 years struggles, as the first step to this long journey for the 38 years old rider. During this struggle, he faced so many challenges. He resigned from his full-time job as an IT specialist to focus on eventing. Khan and his horse, Azad Kashmir named after a valley in Pakistan, because of its beauty and breath-taking scenery - secured their maiden Olympic spot in the individual eventing discipline in December, becoming the first Pakistani to do so.
Pakistans Usman Khan and Azad Kashmir in 3 Star Ballarat
Pakistan`s equestrian highlighted “India has tried to politicize name of his horse. Indian Olympics association is seeking legal advice under the purview of Olympics charter rule 50 whether the name represents a political statement. But it is a trivial issue for me. My intention is clear. Azad Kashmir (horse) has not been named in response to the lockdown in Indian occupied Kashmir. My horse got registered in April 2019 which is quite sometime before the lockdown.”
Khan has represented Pakistan twice at the Asian Games in 2014 and 2018 and travelled across Australia to the different federation for equestrian events.
His horse, Azad Kashmir, alone cost him 110,000 Australian dollars. He has already spent approximately 3 million Australian dollars ($2m) from his personal savings to fund his athletic career.
This is the story of relatively unknown equestrian from Pakistan who is the only eventer at an international level FEI.
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