For Sana Arif, the journey to the Asian Games began with a sport she had only learnt a few years earlier.
asserted
she → begin → sport
One of Pakistan’s pioneering women triathletes, Sana learnt to swim only in 2021, and went on to complete three Ironman 70.3 races — a gruelling endurance event combining a 1.9km swim, 90.1km of cycling and a 21.1km run.
asserted
Sana → learn → cycling
Born in Kuwait and raised in Lahore before returning to Kuwait, she had built her triathlon career largely through her own determination and training.
asserted
she → bear → determination
In 2026, that journey took her to Japan, where she and fellow Pakistani triathlete Anisha Ali from Hunza became part of the country’s first women’s triathlon contingent at the Asian Games.
asserted
she → take → Games
They were joined by male teammates Ali Hassan, Mohid Sadiq Lone and Muhammad Mustaghis Noor.
asserted
They → join → teammates
Sana’s teammate Anisha, 26, brought a very different sporting background to the team.
asserted
teammate → bring → team
But triathlon presented a new challenge, requiring her to master three disciplines simultaneously.
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triathlon → present → disciplines
Hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, she says her upbringing around mountains taught her to embrace challenges rather than shy away from them.
asserted
upbringing → hail → them
This was a mindset she carried with her to the Asian Games.
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she → carry → Games
It was about simply showing up…
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It → show → ?
For Sana, the call that changed everything came almost by chance.
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that → change → chance
She was in Pakistan on holiday when a friend told her that trials were being held for the Asian Games triathlon team.
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trials → tell → team
She went along with a handful of other athletes, some stronger cyclists, others accomplished runners.
asserted
She → go → athletes
But Sana had one advantage that mattered in a sport demanding proficiency in all three disciplines: she could swim well too.
uncertain
she → have → disciplines
A week later, she received a call from the Pakistan Triathlon Federation.
asserted
she → receive → Federation
She had been selected to represent Pakistan at the Asian Games.
asserted
She → select → Games
The selection marked a first.
asserted
selection → mark → first
Pakistan was sending women triathletes to compete at the continental Games, and Sana and Anisha would be part of a small pioneering team, entering a competition in which the country had never before had female representation.
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country → send → representation
Following her selection, Sana trained largely on her own.
asserted
Sana → follow → own
The federation president remained in regular contact, checking on her progress and advising her on areas that needed attention.
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that → remain → attention
For a sport that combines swimming, cycling and running — each requiring its own technical skills, coaching and equipment — much of the responsibility remained with the athlete.
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much → combine → athlete
Even meeting her teammates was a relatively new experience.
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meeting → meet → teammates
Sana had crossed paths with two of them during the trials, but they had been too occupied with the selection process to get to know each other properly.
asserted
they → cross → other
Their team chemistry would develop only after they arrived in Japan.
asserted
they → develop → Japan
When they did, something unexpected happened.
asserted
something → do → ?
The team became a source of strength for one another.
asserted
team → become → one
“We all knew who we were competing against,” Sana says.
asserted
Sana → know → who
“Everyone was friendly, shared their experiences and supported wherever it was needed.”
asserted
it → share → experiences
There was also an awareness that they were entering the competition at a disadvantage.
asserted
they → be → disadvantage
“Though we were the weaker team compared to others, none of us even for a second thought of giving up.
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none → compare → second
We fought till the end.”
asserted
We → fight → end
That spirit extended beyond Pakistan’s team.
asserted
spirit → extend → team
Sana recalls meeting athletes from other countries, including competitors who were among the best in their respective nations and had professional-level experience.
asserted
who → recall → experience
Rather than making her feel inadequate, they did the opposite.
asserted
they → make → opposite
When she explained that the sprint format was very different from the long-distance races she was accustomed to, they reassured her.
asserted
they → explain → her
“They were there to calm me down and tell me that it was all okay,” she says.
asserted
she → calm → me
Some even pointed out what Sana herself had begun to realise: simply being there had significance.
asserted
being → point → significance
She was representing a country that had never before sent women triathletes to the Asian Games.
asserted
that → represent → Games
The experience in Japan also challenged some of the complaints circulating about conditions for athletes at the Games.
asserted
experience → challenge → Games
For the triathletes, the arrangements were, Sana says, excellent.
asserted
Sana → say → triathletes
…and 34 more, not listed.
The Aporia
