Shehnaz Yousafzai
Former Asian Games gold medalist Aamir Atlas Khan has been appointed coach of Pakistan Wapda squash team, said an office order issued by General Secretary Wapda Sports Board Muhammad Umair Aslam Malik here.
Aamir Atlas Khan, LS-I (PBS-18) in PESCO is appointed as coach Pakistan Wapda (Men) team in place of Mr. Sher Akbar, PESCO with immediate effect5 till further orders. His appointment as coach has been approved by the President Wapda Sports Board, the release said.
Nephew of former World Champion legendary Jansher Khan, Aamir Atlas Khan was born on July 30, 1990. He turned professional squash player in 2002 and being coached by his father Atlas Khan reached to his highest ever World ranking No. 14. Aamir Atlas Khan represented Pakistan in Guangzhou, China in 2010 by taking the gold medal in the Team event and silver medal in the singles.
Aamir Atlas Khan is the recipient of Pakistan’s highest civil award (Tamgha-I-Imtiaz ). In 2007 Aamir Atlas Khan proved the most successful and has seen his rankings rise. He was a finalist in the Governor NWFP International 2007 and in the President PSF international 2007, but in both occasions he was beaten by Mansoor Zaman. In August, he went one step better by winning his first title at the CAS international, beating Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskandar.
As of 2009, Aamir, who turned pro in 2002 is ranked 14th, his highest ranking, and was the No. 1 Pakistan squash player. In 2010, Amir Atlas Khan won a silver medal in the individual event in Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
In the Asian Squash Championship 2013, Khan brushed aside Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Mezayan in three sets to become the first Pakistani in 14 years to claim the title.
Talking to media, soon after assuming charge of the Wapda coach, Aamir Atlas Khan said that it was a great honor to become Pakistan Wapda coach, for whom he won numerous titles at the national level.
He disclosed that during his playing career he won 65 international titles and remained Pakistan No. 1 for eight long years. He said winning the Asian Games gold medal after Jehangir Khan, Jansher Khan and Zarak Jehan, he was the fourth to win a gold medal in the Asian Team Championship and silver medal in the individual category.
“I will try my best to prepare a good fighting team for Wapda because we have players like Farhan Zaman, Nasir Iqbal, Danish Atlas and upcoming Noor Zaman who have the abilities to shine even in international squash,” Aamir Atlas said. He also thanked Chairman Wapda, President Wapda Sports Board Imdad Ullah Memon for reposing confidence in him to appoint him as Wapda coach.
