The curtain fell on the much-anticipated 35th National Games, marking the end of a vibrant week of competition, passion and sporting excellence. From electrifying indoor battles to breathtaking contests, this year’s edition highlighted the depth and diversity of Pakistan’s sporting talent.

Pakistan Army once again reaffirmed their dominance by finishing at the top of the overall medals table through sheer determination, discipline and consistency. WAPDA, however, also impressed with several major title victories across key events.

Swimming: Jehanara and Durrani excel

Pakistan Army swept the women’s swimming events thanks to Olympian Jehanara Nabi, who delivered a phenomenal performance by winning five individual and three team gold medals. In the men’s category, Lieutenant Ahmed Durrani emerged as a star of the Games, completing a remarkable double hat-trick of gold medals, including dominant wins in the 800m and 200m freestyle races.

Basketball: WAPDA break Army’s dominance

One of the most thrilling moments of the Games came in men’s basketball, where WAPDA stunned defending champions Pakistan Army with a 58-46 victory. Despite Army’s strength in rebounding and defence, WAPDA’s shooting accuracy, sparked by Zain Hassan Khan’s opening play, proved decisive. Earlier, WAPDA’s women’s team had also defeated Punjab to complete a memorable basketball sweep.

Rowing: Army in
command

Pakistan Army dominated the rowing events with five gold medals on the first day of the finals. Navy remained competitive with two gold medals, but it was Army who ultimately left the strongest impact on the competition.

At the PSF Jahangir Khan Squash Complex, Army showcased their strength by winning both the men’s and women’s team events. In the singles finals, Army’s Zainab Khan secured the women’s gold medal, while WAPDA’s Noor Zaman captured the men’s title after an intense and well-fought match.

Taekwondo: Army make clean sweep of the championships

Army produced a flawless display in taekwondo, winning the overall championship in both the men’s and women’s categories. Their consistent technique, discipline and tactical strength kept them ahead throughout the event.

Rugby: WAPDA remain
in dominance in both
categories

WAPDA delivered an outstanding performance in rugby, earning gold medals in both men’s and women’s competitions. Their men’s team overpowered Army 19-0, while the women’s side defeated Punjab 15-0 in an impressive display of teamwork and athletic ability.

Athletics: Arshad Nadeem leads the field

Olympic star Arshad Nadeem gave spectators a memorable moment with a commanding 81.1m throw in the javelin event, securing gold for WAPDA. In sprint events, WAPDA continued to shine as Sami Ullah won the men’s 100m in 10.30 seconds, while Faiqa Riaz claimed the women’s title with a strong finish of 11.70 seconds.

Shooting: Precision and class at the range

The shooting competitions showcased accuracy and composure. Olympian Gulfam Joseph led Army to gold in the 50m Pistol team event alongside Kaleemullah and Azhar Abbas. In the individual category of the same event, Navy’s Shahrukh Khan claimed gold with an impressive performance. Army’s women shooters also excelled as Mehr Khaliq guided her team to gold in the 10m Air Rifle event before securing the individual title herself.

Army also excelled in track events. Muhammad Akhtar won the men’s 10,000m in 32:13.75, while Usman Ali clocked 21 seconds to take gold in the 200m. Waqas Akbar maintained Army’s dominance by winning the men’s 1500m in 3:53.40.

WAPDA’s Faiqa Riaz collected her third gold in the women’s long jump with a 5.52m leap, and WAPDA’s Ghazala Ramzan topped the women’s hurdles with a time of 15.87 seconds. At the conclusion of athletics, Pakistan Army claimed the men’s general trophy, while WAPDA secured the women’s title.

Sailing: Air Force rule
the waters

The Arabian Sea hosted thrilling sailing contests, with Pakistan Air Force dominating multiple categories. Muhammad Suleman won gold in the Optimist Class Open, and Tahseen Qazi captured gold in the Optimist Girls event. Joshua added another gold for PAF in the ILCA 4 class. Navy also produced strong results by winning the 470 Junior Class and the RSX category.

Bodybuilding: WAPDA take the crown

WAPDA stamped their authority in bodybuilding at the Liaquat Library Ibrahim Joyo Auditorium, earning the overall championship with eight gold, six silver and four bronze medals. Army secured second place, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finished third after strong performances in the heavier categories.

Tug of War: Railways and WAPDA battle for glory

The men’s tug-of-war final saw Pakistan Railways overpower WAPDA to win gold, with Punjab finishing third. In the women’s category, WAPDA avenged the loss by defeating Railways to claim the top prize. Railways also secured gold in the mixed doubles category.

Archery: Records fall and Sindh make history

The archery competition produced two new national records. Army archers Raja Shiraz Azam and Muhammad Asif set a remarkable new individual record with a score of 720/616, while Army established a new team record with 1838 points. In the women’s recurve event, Army’s Iqra Farooq won gold, Punjab’s Fatima Raza claimed silver and WAPDA’s Sadia Mai secured bronze. Sindh made history by winning silver and bronze medals for the first time in National Games archery.

Weightlifting: Talha
Talib makes an
emotional return

Olympian Talha Talib delivered one of the most emotional moments of the Games by returning to competitive action with a gold medal in the 79kg category at the Muhammad Siddique Memon Scout Auditorium. His comeback was met with warm applause and admiration from fans and fellow athletes. In wrestling, renowned Olympian Inam Butt claimed the 92kg gold for WAPDA, winning the national title for a record 18th time.

The 35th National Games will be remembered for their energy, memorable performances and rise of new stars. While Pakistan Army stood tall as overall champions, the achievements of WAPDA, PAF, Navy, Railways, Punjab, Sindh and HEC added depth and excitement to a remarkable week of competition. The Games not only highlighted the nation’s athletic potential but also strengthened the spirit of unity and pride, promising an even brighter future for Pakistan sports.

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