South Asian Games: Pakistani Athletes Feeling at 'Home'

Tired after their arduous 30-hour-long travel from Lahore, Pakistani athletes Sobia Ghafoor and Bismah Idrees were seen relaxing at the lounge of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. (South Asian Games: Security Beefed up as Teams Arrive)

The women's volleyball duo, who travelled along with another teammate, found themselves at 'home' as they kept waiting for hours for their 12 other teammates who're slated to arrive in batches from Kolkata for the 12th South Asian Games beginning here and Shillong on Friday.

"We're coming here for the first time here and already we're overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality. Win or not, I'm sure we'll go back with a lot of memories -- of friendship and peace," the duo clad in green baize said.

Elaborating their 'touchdown' experience in a country where political relations are always entangled, Sobia said: "We had issues with tickets and people in Kolkata really helped us."

It is history in the making for the Pakistani women's volleyball team who will be returning to the South Asian Games after two decades -- for the first time after their participation in Madras, 1995 where they had finished with a bronze medal. (Pakistan Contingent Gets Government Clearance for South Asian Games)

The women's volleyball team were camping in Lahore and they travelled via Doha to Kolkata taking them more than 24 hours to reach the northeastern hub of Guwahati.

"It's a historic tour for the women's team. We're told that we're participating in an International tournament after a long long time. We will try and do our best. God willing, we'll reach the final."

"We just hope that we don't get tired before our match against Maldives. We're very tired having started at 4am yesterday."

A 456-strong Pakistani contingent is participating in the February 5-16 Games in Guwahati and Shillong that has a motto of 'Play For Peace Progress and Prosperity'.

Pakistan (19 gold, 25 silver and 36 bronze medals) had edged out hosts Bangladesh (18-23-56) on gold medal count to finish second behind toppers India who had clinched 90 gold, 55 silver and 30 bronze in the 11th South Asian Games in Dhaka in 2010.