Pakistan’s Nooh Dastagir wins Double Gold in Uzbekistan

KHIVA / TASHKENT: Pakistan’s strength sensation Nooh Dastagir Butt has once again defied the odds, winning two gold medals in Uzbekistan despite competing with a painful knee injury and against athletes he says were using performance-enhancing drugs.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion delivered a remarkable performance at the Sixth International Pehalvon Mahmud Strongmen Games in Khiva, followed by another dominant display at the Farhod Challenge in Tashkent, adding to his growing reputation on the global strongman circuit.

In Khiva, Nooh produced one of the most impressive feats of endurance in the competition, lifting and holding a 14kg ceremonial sword vertically for one minute and 49 seconds to clinch gold in the Jalaluddin Sword Challenge. The crowd at the historic Ichan Qala Complex witnessed a tense showdown as he outlasted South Korea’s Yoo Useong in a test of raw strength and stamina.

Despite visibly struggling with a knee injury, the Pakistani star refused to back down. Days later in Tashkent, he powered through another demanding event — the log-push water pool team competition — where he secured his second gold medal after four intense head-to-head battles against athletes from the Czech Republic, Mongolia, and Iran.

“This time we aimed for three medals, but my knee injury stopped me from performing at 100 per cent,” Nooh told reporters. “Still, I gave my best and brought medals home for Pakistan.”

However, the triumphs came with a stark reminder of the challenges facing the sport. Nooh revealed that many of his rivals were allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs, a problem he says is widespread in strongman competitions.

“Most of the athletes I competed against were on steroids,” he said. “But I don’t use any. I compete clean, and I still managed to win.”

His commitment to clean sport comes at a personal cost. Pakistan’s weightlifting federation remains suspended from international competition due to anti-doping violations and administrative issues, leaving athletes like Nooh unable to compete in their primary discipline.

The suspension has forced him to shift focus toward strongman and powerlifting events, a transition that has unexpectedly extended his medal-winning career but also disrupted his long-term weightlifting ambitions.

Looking ahead, Nooh has set his sights on the Arnold Classic Strongman competition in the United States next year, followed by the 2029 World Games in Germany, where he hopes to secure a historic gold medal for Pakistan.

“My dream is to win a major gold medal for my country,” he said. “If not in weightlifting, then in powerlifting or strongman — I will bring it home.”

For now, his double gold in Uzbekistan stands as a powerful statement of resilience, discipline, and raw determination in one of the world’s toughest sporting arenas.