ABBOTTABAD: Gymnastics is one of the most popular and rapidly growing sports in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, yet the lack of proper equipment is proving to be the biggest obstacle for talented athletes, says Shamsur Rehman Orakzai, Associate Secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gymnastics Association and General Secretary of the Kohat Division Gymnastics Association.
Speaking to the media in Abbottabad, Shams Ur Rehman Orakzai emphasized that several gymnastics clubs are active across Kohat Division, where players from various age groups are undergoing training. However, the absence of essential gymnastics apparatus is holding back the progress of emerging talent. Abbottabad, and the entire Hazara Division, has outstanding players who, with the right support and facilities, can reach national and international levels, he said. The role of Hazara Division Association President Sardar Muhammad Rizwan and Secretary Shaukat Hussain has been vital in polishing these athletes and putting gymnastics in Hazara on the path to growth. Shams Ur Rehman Orakzai described gymnastics as a sport that keeps a person both fit and agile. Sharing his personal journey, he recalled that he first took up gymnastics while studying in the fifth grade. Living in Peshawar’s Deen Bahar Colony at the time, he began training under coach Muhammad Raja at the Shahibagh Gymnastics Club.
Back then, just like martial arts, gymnastics competitions were frequent, and winning medals only strengthened my passion for the sport,” he remembered. “However, when my family decided to move back to our ancestral town in Hangu, my training was interrupted. Despite the setback, Shams Ur Rehman Orakzai says his passion for gymnastics never faded. He continues to respect his childhood coach, Muhammad Raja—who now serves as Secretary of the provincial Gymnastics Association—with the same admiration he had as a young boy.
Over the years, Shams Ur Rehman Orakzai has expanded his involvement beyond competing. He has completed multiple technical officials and coaching courses under the supervision of the Pakistan Gymnastics Federation, as well as specialized programs organized in collaboration with the Pakistan Olympic Association and the Asian Olympic Committee. By the grace of Allah, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a technical official not only in provincial events but also in national-level competitions held under the Pakistan Gymnastics Federation, he noted. Shams Ur Rehman Orakzai concluded by stressing the urgent need for government and sports authorities to equip local gymnastics clubs with proper facilities. If the right resources are provided, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the potential to produce gymnasts of international caliber, he affirmed.
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