Asif strikes SAF gold

Asif Hossain Khan claimed Bangladesh's first gold in the Ninth SAF Games when he won his favourite 10m air-rifle event in Islamabad yesterday.

The 18-year-old, who shot to fame at the 17th Commonwealth Games in Manchester two years ago, ensured that the Bangladesh anthem was played at the Shooting Range Pakistan Shooting Complex by collecting highest 693.6 points on the second day of the regional sporting extravaganza. Indian Sanjeev secured the silver with 691.8 points.

It was an improved performance by the Pabna wunderkinder after his Manchester marvel, where he hit a superb 691.1 to shatter a 12-year-old record.

A BKSP student, Asif is the torchbearer of the legacy that started with Atiq-ur Rahman and Jahangir Sattar Nini, who won the first Common-wealth gold for Bangladesh at Auckland in 1990.