Haroon Khan Wins Bronze Medal

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

The storybook ending fell just short for Haroon Khan, but he still came away with the Bronze medal this month at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.  Coming into the fight against India’s Suranjoy Mayengbam, the Asian Champion, Khan was an underdog and it showed.  Khan lost to Mayengbam 9 – 3, but not many expected him to make it to the medal round.  Khan’s personal goal was to represent Pakistan and win a medal, which he accomplished. But he had originally wanted to represent England in the competition.

Khan told newspapers: “I’d love to see [head coach] Rob McCracken right now and tell him ‘look, in your face, I’ve got a medal and I should have got that medal for England. I think I’ve proved my point to the selectors. I read in the media that McCracken said he didn’t think I was good enough but I’ve never seen him and I don’t think he’s watched me in any of my fights.”

Khan will stay in Pakistan to prepare for the Asian Games in November before making a definite decision about the 2012 Olympics. Not only was the snub by the British team a great motivator for Khan, but he has big shoes to fill when it comes to his older brother, Amir Khan, the current WBA light welterweight champion of the world. “My aim was to come here and stand on that podium and I’ve got the bronze medal – it means so much to me,” added Khan. “I’m sure my family’s so happy with that. Now I can put my medal next to his Olympic silver medal.”

In the end Khan knew he was fighting difficult odds in this tournament. He added, “I knew it was going to be tough, especially in his back garden. I tried to block out the crowd and go out there and fight him but I kept getting caught. I will come back stronger from this.” Is the world ready for two King Khans in the ring?

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