ISLAMABAD (Web Desk): Pakistan’s leading weightlifter and strongman athlete, Nooh Dastgir Butt, secured two gold medals in international competitions held in Uzbekistan despite competing with a knee injury.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion first claimed gold at the Sixth International Pehalvon Mahmud Strongmen Games in Khiva on June 14. He emerged victorious in the Jalaluddin Sword Challenge after holding a 14-kilogram sword upright for one minute and 49 seconds, defeating South Korean athlete Yoo Useong.
Nooh added a second gold medal at the Farhod Challenge in Tashkent, helping his team win the log-push water pool event against competitors from the Czech Republic, Mongolia and Iran.
Speaking after the events, the 28-year-old athlete said he had hoped to win three medals but was unable to perform at his best due to a knee injury. Nevertheless, he expressed satisfaction at bringing two gold medals home for Pakistan.
Nooh also raised concerns about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in strongman competitions, claiming that many international competitors rely on banned substances. He emphasized that he competes drug-free and remains subject to random testing as an Olympic weightlifter.
Reflecting on his career, Nooh said the international suspension of Pakistan’s weightlifting federation deprived him of four crucial years in weightlifting, prompting him to focus on powerlifting and strongman contests instead.
Looking ahead, he plans to compete in the Arnold Classic Strongman competition in the United States next year and has set his sights on the 2029 World Games in Germany, where he hopes to break world records and add more international medals to Pakistan’s tally.
Nooh reiterated that his ultimate ambition is to win a major international gold medal for Pakistan before bringing his sporting career to a close.
