Sports has been my first love and without it my life would be without color. I guess it runs in my family, as my grandfather, father and uncle all have been sport loving people. It would be the motivation and commitment shown by sportsmen in their respective fields which in turn would ultimately make me never to give up in life and always be highly motivated.
My Sporting Limitations
Ivan Lendl & Pistol Pete
Roger Federer, my Greatest Sporting Idol
My sporting wardrobe has to resemble his and try to get all the tee-shirts Federer wears somehow or the other. His posters and official calendar are hanging on my wall. My prayers are always with him and even when he is in a difficult position, I know that he will win. His ability to remain positive in all situations and never to give up has benefited me the most in my struggle in life.
Love for Sports began at Aitchison
Ever since I was in school I used to love all kinds of sports including cricket, tennis, football, swimming etc. When I went to Aitchison College in Lahore the sporting facilities over there were considered to be the best in the country. Their cricket and hockey fields were very picturesque and were second to none.
I started playing sports from my Aitchison days and was very active playing cricket, tennis, table-tennis and swimming. This was before I became wheelchair bound. So I would say from Aitchison my love for sports started.
My Sporting Limitations
Coming from Aitchison to Karachi Grammar School was quite a change regarding the sporting facilities. KGS is well known for it’s education and is limited in providing sports facilities This led to my being less active in all kinds of sports apart from swimming. I do swim very regularly till the present day and get a lot of motivation from swimming.
Another reason for my being less active would be because I had to wear a brace due to a curve in my spine and this helped the curve from deteriorating. The brace confined my movements and thus could not run around freely. Following cricket matches on television or radio had become a passion and it would also result in my bunking classes to get to know the latest score. Shortly after the end of my schooling days, I came to know that a wheelchair would be my new companion and it was then that sports took a new meaning for me in my life.
Another reason for my being less active would be because I had to wear a brace due to a curve in my spine and this helped the curve from deteriorating. The brace confined my movements and thus could not run around freely. Following cricket matches on television or radio had become a passion and it would also result in my bunking classes to get to know the latest score. Shortly after the end of my schooling days, I came to know that a wheelchair would be my new companion and it was then that sports took a new meaning for me in my life.
Imran Khan: A Dynamic Captain always leading from the Front
Having sporting idols has always been something which has been so exciting and which has always helped me in maintaining my love for sports. Imran Khan would become my first sporting idol in cricket. Following his superlative performances and always egging him on, no matter how difficult the situation was, showed how much he meant to me at that time. He went on to become the captain of the Pakistan cricket team and my support for him was never ending.
I remember when the 1987 World Cup Cricket was played in Pakistan the atmosphere was absolutely electric. On the day we were playing the semi-final against Australia in Lahore everyone knew that we were going to win. I had gone specially for the match to Lahore and was present in the stadium. In the morning from the atmosphere of a party filled with noise and non stop cheering had transformed into a hush of silence. Being there at the stadium it felt like someone had died after our defeat and as if we had come to for the mourning. There were tears in everyone’s eyes including mine and I can safely say that any sporting event has not had such an emotional effect on me.
I remember when the 1987 World Cup Cricket was played in Pakistan the atmosphere was absolutely electric. On the day we were playing the semi-final against Australia in Lahore everyone knew that we were going to win. I had gone specially for the match to Lahore and was present in the stadium. In the morning from the atmosphere of a party filled with noise and non stop cheering had transformed into a hush of silence. Being there at the stadium it felt like someone had died after our defeat and as if we had come to for the mourning. There were tears in everyone’s eyes including mine and I can safely say that any sporting event has not had such an emotional effect on me.
Imran announced his retirement from cricket after the 87 World Cup, after which he was persuaded by the then President of Pakistan Zia-ul-Haq to take back his retirement. Pakistan went on to win the 1992 World Cup under Imran’s dynamic leadership. He led from the front and his ability of never to give up even when faced with a daunting task always gave me the hope to be positive and believe in my abilities. I also met Imran a couple of times and he also came to my house. Imran was a very dominant figure in cricket and will always due to his unrelenting attitude have a special place in my heart.
Ivan Lendl & Pistol Pete
Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras have remained my sporting idols in tennis for quite a while and I have learned a lot of my fighting qualities from them. Especially it would have to be Sampras who was the one who pioneered my love for tennis. I used to love watching him crush opponents with his famous slam dunk jump.
Pistol Pete would become his nickname for his thunderous serve. He was the most complete player on grass and went on to win 6 Wimbledon titles. It was during his last Wimbledon did he go on to lose to a guy named Roger Federer who I was cursing at that time. Little did I realize that Federer would go on to become my greatest sporting idol.
Pistol Pete would become his nickname for his thunderous serve. He was the most complete player on grass and went on to win 6 Wimbledon titles. It was during his last Wimbledon did he go on to lose to a guy named Roger Federer who I was cursing at that time. Little did I realize that Federer would go on to become my greatest sporting idol.
Roger Federer, my Greatest Sporting Idol
When Roger plays the world comes to a stop and everything else happening around me is immaterial. My focus and attention is centered towards Federer winning his match. No matter what time his match is coming on television I have to see it be it 4 in the morning. Even when his matches are not telecast live, the first thing I have to do is to check the score on the internet. He is the most complete tennis player to have played the game and his record speaks for itself.
My sporting wardrobe has to resemble his and try to get all the tee-shirts Federer wears somehow or the other. His posters and official calendar are hanging on my wall. My prayers are always with him and even when he is in a difficult position, I know that he will win. His ability to remain positive in all situations and never to give up has benefited me the most in my struggle in life.
So as you can see for me sporting icons make my life interesting and always something to look forward to. Watching them in action arouses in me the spirit of being competitive at all times. My motivation in talks at times comes from watching my sporting heroes in action. Whenever I am faced with a difficult situation in life, my mind always goes to my sporting heroe as to what Roger would do.
Here is a quotation which all sports people try to follow:
“ Let’s not limit our challenges, instead, let’s challenge our limits!”
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