Although small in stature, Haiqa Hassan's growing prominence is a function of her dominance. At only 13 years of age, she has established herself as the prohibitive favorite in any domestic junior contest. At the recent 27th National Junior Table Tennis Championship in Peshawar, Hassan once again claimed the women's singles under 15 championship. The pride of the Sindh province added gold medals in the girls' under 15, 16 and 18 events, among nine overall medals in this, just her most recent haul. "I’m really happy to have won the Under 15 title and hope to win more laurels for my club and Sindh, and hopefully for Pakistan in the future," said Hassan, whose obvious talent requires only the opportunity to succeed. Luckily, Hassan enjoys the support of her father, Hassan Adil, who actively promotes his daughter's academic and athletic advancement. "Our focus is as much on mental strength as it on physical training," says Adil, whose younger daughter Eman is also an emerging threat at their local Hasanabad Table Tennis Club. Girls and women have seldom been granted such opportunities in traditional Pakistani society, a sad fact made known by Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani education activist who was shot by the Taliban when she was 12. Adil sees his daughters' success as an opportunity for Pakistan to rally behind a homegrown heroine. "Table tennis requires top-class facilities just like other sports and needs investment," says the proud father, subtly campaigning for sponsorship. "With the right investment and grooming, Pakistan can emerge internationally as a viable competitor in table tennis." Malala Yousafzai (or just Malala, as she is known) miraculously survived the cowardly attack and is now 23. She will certainly be rooting for her countrywoman Haiqa Hassan as she fights for Pakistan on the international stage. In many ways, they are teammates, as Malala's bravery helped pave the way for Haiqa Hassan's current and future success, not to mention that of Pakistan itself. With any luck, the world will notice and make an earnest and sustained attempt to emulate their progress.

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