First Int’l PACES Championship hosted by Pakistan Army starts today

LAHORE: The historic city of Lahore will be the hub of six days of entertaining activities as the First International PACES (Physical Agility and Combat Efficiency System) Competition hosted by the Pakistan Army goes into action at a graceful opening ceremony at the Ayub Stadium Cantt here on Tuesday.

Addressing a crowded press conference here on Monday, ISPR Director Brig Anwaar Ahmed along with Brig (Retd) Mohammad Yousaf Baig, the pioneer of PACES concepts and the event director, said that all participating teams have reached the city and will display their talent in the categories of Push Ups, Sit Ups, Chin Ups and Combat Efficiency Test at three different venues.

Brig Anwaar said that to generate public interest the Pakistan Army would organise a Mini Marathon on the last day of the event on October 23. Athletes from all age groups and genders will participate in the marathon.

On the occasion Director PACES Event Brig (Retd) Yousaf informed the media that PACES, a new regime of physical training, was introduced in the Pakistan Army in 2010 and during these six years it has contributed marvelously to enhancing physical fitness, combat efficiency, competitive spirit and sports culture among all ranks of the Army.

He disclosed that until now about 3.5 million soldiers have gone through the regime of PACES training and Pakistan Army has organised nine championships.

The war on terror has brought about a paradigm shift in the tactical concept and has changed the requirement of physical fitness for soldiers.

The PACES event will help in enhancing the composite strength agility and coordination between mind and body of our soldiers, Brig Yousaf added.

Army contingents of Nepal, the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan arrived on Sunday to participate in the PACES Championship 2016. Army teams from Sri Lanka, People’s Liberation Army (China), Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Bahrain and Maldives have also reached the city.

Army teams from Australia, the United States, Turkey, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Turkey arrived on Monday.

Around 370 army men of the participating teams will demonstrate their stamina, physical fitness and combat skill during the six-day event.

Brig Anwaar recalled that before embarking on England tour Pakistan cricket team went to an army boot camp in Abbottabad to improve their fitness, where the players underwent sessions of strenuous training to improve their physical fitness.

After completing his century against England in the first Test at the prestigious Lord’s ground, Misbah-ul-Haq’s push ups amused cricket fans across the globe. Later on senior batsman Younis Khan led the squad in performing a routine of press ups followed by a military style salute in front of the ground’s famous pavilion after winning the Test. Through this demonstration the Pakistan cricket team thanked the army staff who put them through a pre-tour boot camp.

Only recently Azhar Ali repeated the demonstration of push ups after scoring a record triple century against the West Indies in Dubai.