Pakistan's taekwondo players are preparing for the Ashgabat 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games ©PTF

Pakistan's taekwondo players met in Islamabad to begin their preparations for the Ashgabat 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

Competitors started training at the Pakistan Sports Complex in the capital city.

Pakistan Taekwondo Federation President Wasim Ahmed has confirmed 10 taekwondo players will be sent to the Games in Turkmenistan's capital.

"As many as 16 male and ten female athletes will train under the supervision of two coaches," he told The News.

"We will then send five male and five female players to Ashgabat."

Ashgabat is set to host the fifth edition of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games ©Ashgabat 2017
Ashgabat is set to host the fifth edition of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games ©Ashgabat 2017

Pakistan sent eight athletes to the Incheon 2013 edition of the Games but failed to win a medal.

At the first Asian Martial Arts Games, held in Bangkok in Thailand in 2009, Pakistan won a total of nine medals including three gold, two silver and four bronze.

Ashgabat 2017 is set to feature 21 sports in 15 venues over 12 days of competition, from September 16 to 27. 

Turkmenistan’s capital was awarded the Games by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in 2010.

The Executive Committee for Ashgabat 2017 will organise and run the Games in cooperation with the OCA.

Wrestling and jiu-jitsu competitors travelling to the Games have also began to gather in Lahore.