Sindh's South Asian Karate Championship medallists rewarded at Girls' Winter Sports Festival

KARACHI: The Sindh Sports Department distributed cash prizes among the province's karate players who won medals at the 9th South Asian Karate Championship in Sri Lanka during the District South Karachi Girls' Winter Sports Festival, held here at the Youth Development Centre on Tuesday.

The event, aimed at promoting sports among girls while recognising outstanding international achievements by the province's athletes, was held under the auspices of the Sindh Sports Department.

During the ceremony, players who secured medals for Pakistan at the South Asian Karate Championship were awarded cash prizes by the Sindh government.

According to the department's spokesperson, cash prizes worth Rs600,000 were distributed among the athletes.

Gold medallist Aiyana Noel Arthur received Rs200,000, silver medallist Arisha Nadeem was awarded Rs100,000, while bronze medallists Abdul Rehman, Cyrus, Tasaddiq and Sumra Ejaz received Rs100,000 each.

Secretary Sports Sindh Munawar Ali Mehsar was the chief guest at the ceremony, while Director Sports Ishaq, Deputy Director Habibullah, District Sports Officers Farid Ali, Ismail Shah and Shakeel Ahmed, along with Sunny Parvez, were also present.

Addressing the gathering, Mehsar said the Sindh government was actively working to promote sports and ensure the welfare of athletes.

He emphasised the importance of encouraging talented players through timely recognition of their achievements and stated that such initiatives motivate athletes to perform better at national and international levels.

"The Sindh government is taking practical steps for the promotion of sports and the welfare of athletes. Our objective is to encourage talented players and acknowledge their hard work in a timely manner," Mehsar stated.

"The growing involvement of women in sports is a positive sign of change in our society. The Sindh government is fully committed to providing all possible facilities to female athletes so they can excel at national and international levels," he added.

Meanwhile, the recently held festival marked enthusiastic participation from female students in various disciplines.

In table tennis, Nazneen and Muskan secured first position, while Rania and Misbah finished second. KMA Girls Degree College won the cricket event by defeating TIA Academy in the final.