Mohammad Shehzad, a 64-year-old rower from Pakistan, secured a gold medal at the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand, marking an extraordinary achievement in the 60+ singles category. Shehzad triumphed over his younger Indian opponent, James Joseph, finishing with a time of 1:32.30, which set a new Asian record.
His daughter, Mahoor Shahzad, an Olympian who represented Pakistan at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, expressed immense pride in her father’s accomplishment. On X (formerly Twitter), she shared her admiration, stating that his victory had deeply influenced her perspective on determination and discipline.
Shehzad’s gold contributed to Pakistan’s remarkable performance at the championship, where the country claimed 14 medals—10 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze. The event took place from May 26 to 31 in Pattaya, Thailand, with athletes competing on indoor rowing machines, such as the Concept2 ergometer, in a controlled environment simulating the rowing experience.
Shehzad’s victory was particularly personal, and he dedicated his win to the Pakistan Armed Forces and the nation’s martyrs, adding an emotional layer to his success. This achievement capped off a series of impressive results from Pakistani rowers, including contributions from Abdul Jabbar and Tayyab Iftikhar.
