Abbas wins 150 km Karachi, Hyderabad Bicycle Race

HYDERABAD—Ghulam Abbas of Pakistan Army became the winner of 150 kilometres second SSGC Karachi-Hyderabad Cycle Race here on Sunday. According to organisers, Ghulam Abbas dashed the finishing point with 3-29-06 time, while runner Asif Ali of Pakistan Railway terminated the race with 3-31-52 duration.
Naveed Ahmed of WAPDA stood third with 3-36-00 while Hafiz Mustansar of SSGC, Zahid Gulfam of SSGC and Shaukat Awan of WAPDA shared fourth, fifth and sixth positions by finishing the race with 3-36-00 duration respectively. The 150-kilometres long race, inaugurated by Sindh Sports Minister Qamar Mansoor at SSGC Headquarter, Hassan Square, Karachi terminated at Wadhu-Wah Inter-Section Hyderabad Bypass.
A total of 48 bicyclists took part in the race, however, the winner of the last race Naim Ahmed of SSGC, who set a winning record with 3-18-15 could not appear in the race because of fever.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) Hyderabad, Major-General Muhammad Mustafa Khan along with Managing Director SSGC Munawar Baseer Ahmad and Secretary General Pakistan Cycling Federation Idrees Haider Khawaja received the bicyclist at the finishing point.
The winner of the race Ghulam Abbas received cash prize of Rs 25,000/- and the runner up Asif Ali took Rs 15,000/- cash prize from the General Officer Commanding Hyderabad.
Naved Ahmed who was placed third in the race received Rs 10,000/- cash prize while Rs 5,000/- each were received by Hafiz Mustansar, Zahid Gulfam and Shaukat Awan who secured, fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively.
The General Officer Commanding Major General Muhammad Mustafa Khan awarded Admiral Hassan Hafeez Memorial Trophy to Pakistan Army while the runner up trophy was received by WAPDA.
It may be mentioned that Sindh Sport Minister Qamar Mansoor while inaugurating the race this morning in Karachi also announced Rs 50,000/- cash award for the winner of the race. He also announced construction of a velodrome in Karachi to facilitate the bicyclist of the province so that they could be able to meet the international standard of the race.
Qamar Mansoor also announced the organising of Tour-de-Sindh race to promote the game in the entire province.
The Managing Director SSGC Munawar Baseer Ahmad said the objective of organising the race was to provide an opportunity to bicyclists to prepare themselves for coming SAFF Games. He also announced to organising such races in Balochistan.—APP