Pakistan’s star weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt won two gold medals in Uzbekistan despite competing with a knee injury and facing rivals he says were using performance-enhancing drugs.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion first secured gold at the Sixth International Pehalvon Mahmud Strongmen Games in Khiva on June 14. He defeated South Korea’s Yoo Useong in the Jalaluddin Sword Challenge by holding a 14kg sword upright for one minute and 49 seconds.
Nooh then claimed another gold in the log-push water pool team event at the Farhod Challenge in Tashkent, overcoming athletes from the Czech Republic, Mongolia and Iran. It was his third appearance in the competition.
During an interview, Nooh said he had hoped to win three medals but could not perform at full capacity due to a knee injury. Despite the setback, he was pleased to bring two gold medals home for Pakistan.
The 28-year-old also highlighted the widespread use of steroids in strongman competitions, saying many of his competitors were using banned substances. However, he stressed that he remains drug-free and is subject to random testing as an Olympic lifter.
Nooh said the international suspension of Pakistan’s weightlifting federation had cost him four years of his weightlifting career, forcing him to focus on powerlifting and strongman events instead. He believes the move was worthwhile as it allowed him to continue winning medals.
Looking ahead, Nooh plans to compete in the Arnold Classic Strongman competition in the United States next year and is targeting the 2029 World Games in Germany. He aims to set a squat world record and win gold in the bench press and deadlift events.
While he remains hopeful of returning to weightlifting if given the opportunity, Nooh said his ultimate goal is to win a major international gold medal for Pakistan before ending his career.
