Bejing(APP) Muhammad Karim, a Pakistani skier, is looking forward to competing in the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in China, where he hopes to earn a first medal for himself and his nation.
Karim, from the town of Naltar in Gilgit-Baltistan, is the only Pakistani skier to have competed in both the Sochi and Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Karim, 26, is ecstatic about the next Olympics, which would place Pakistan on the international sports map.
“At the Beijing Winter Olympics, I aim to develop my skiing talents while also encouraging Pakistani children to take up the sport,” he stated in an interview with APP.
He shared some facts about his career, saying that skiing in Pakistan is a highly expensive and difficult sport due to a lack of supplies and facilities compared to Europe and other nations.
“I’d want to express my gratitude to the Pakistan Air Force for supporting him and providing him with all necessary amenities throughout,” he said.
He stated that he began skiing using wooden skis. “During the winter, when the schools were closed, I used to go skiing with my older brother, who was also a member of Pakistan’s Alpine Ski Team.”
Karim was selected for the Pakistan Air Force’s Naltar Skii Team in 2005, where he earned a bronze medal and gained national attention. In 2008, he received a three-month Austrian scholarship for training. He began his professional career from there.
“I started competing in national events in 2010 and earned a gold medal in my first one. Following that, I competed in the Sochi Olympics, the South Asian Games, and the Pyeongchang Olympics. “Now I’m looking forward to the Olympics in Beijing,” he continued.
Karim has been training over the past three years at several locations, including NaltarSkii Resort and MalamJabba. He also had the opportunity to practise in Italy for three months with a Greek coach this year. Later, he returned to Pakistan to train for the Olympics.
He began training with his brother, he says, when it came to coaching. He enlisted the help of Greek coaches for advanced training. “My brother was a part of the Pakistan Skii team and won a medal.” He is now the Head Coach.”