Pakistan’s athletes continued to make their presence felt at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, as three competitors secured podium finishes.
Boxers Qudrat Ullah and Fatima Zahra, along with Kurash fighter Arusha Saeed, each clinched bronze medals in their respective events, boosting the country’s overall medal count.
In the boxing ring, Qudrat Ullah impressed in the men’s 55kg category, delivering a commanding 10–0 victory over Sudan’s Mohamed Othman in the quarter-final. He was later defeated by Egypt’s Amir Mohamed Farag Ahmed Kelany in the semi-final. As all semi-finalists are awarded at least a bronze, his run earned Pakistan a well-deserved place on the podium.
Teen sensation Fatima Zahra, one of Pakistan’s standout female athletes in recent months, also secured bronze in the women’s 60kg division. The 19-year-old dominated Algeria’s Hamda Melissa with a 5–0 win in the quarter-final, but was outclassed by her Egyptian opponent in the semi-final, earning her a bronze medal as well.
Meanwhile, Arusha Saeed made history by claiming Pakistan’s first-ever medal in the women’s 57kg Kurash event, bringing home another bronze. Her podium finish marked a significant milestone, reflecting the growing presence of Pakistani women in international combat sports.
However, as Kurash is classified as a demonstrative sport at the Games, her medal will not be included in the official tally. For a nation with only 17 medals in its history across five previous editions—comprising four gold, three silver, and ten bronze—these performances represent a meaningful step forward.
