Mahoor Shahzad

{{Infobox badminton player

| name = Mahoor Shahzad

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| country = Pakistan

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1996|10|17}}

| birth_place = Karachi, Pakistan

| residence = Karachi, Pakistan

| height = 170 cm

| weight = 56 kg

| years_active = 2014–present

| handedness = Right

| coach = Tayyab Sohail (National)
Iftikhar Hussain
Ali Mehdi

| event = Women's singles & doubles

| highest_ranking = 133 (WS 17 March 2020)
146 (WD with Palwasha Bashir 17 March 2020)

| date_of_highest_ranking =

| current_ranking = 175 (WS)
248 (WD)

| date_of_current_ranking = 26 July 2022

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry | {{PAK}} }}

{{MedalBronze | {{Nowrap|2019 Kathmandu–Pokhara}} | {{Nowrap|Women's team}} }}

| bwfbadminton_id = 51218

| bwf_id = 9236599A-A412-48AC-8DE2-E6D4014B5BA3

}}

Mahoor Shahzad (born 17 October 1996) is a Pakistani badminton player.{{Cite web |title=Mahoor Shahzad {{!}} Profile |url=https://bwfbadminton.com/player/51218/mahoor-shahzad |access-date=2022-07-29 |publisher=Badminton World Federation}} She has competed at the 2014 Asian Games,{{Cite web |date=14 May 2017 |title=Pakistan Sports Board |url=http://www.sports.gov.pk/Participation/17th_Asian_Games.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514204510/http://www.sports.gov.pk/Participation/17th_Asian_Games.html |archive-date=14 May 2017 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Pakistan Sports Board}} and also at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games.{{Cite web |title=Badminton {{!}} Athlete Profile: Mahoor Shahzad - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games |url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/badminton/athlete-profile-n6024658-mahoor-shahzad.htm |access-date=2022-07-29 |publisher=Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games}}{{Cite web |last=Wasim |first=Umaid |date=23 July 2022 |title=Uncertainty gives way to hope as Mahoor gears up for CWG |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1701136 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Dawn}}

She represented Pakistan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after receiving a tripartite invitation, becoming the first Pakistani badminton player to compete at the Olympic Games.{{Cite web |title=Alumni Achievement |url=https://www.iba.edu.pk/alumni-mahoor-shahzad.php |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=IBA Karachi}}{{cite web |title=Badminton star Mahoor Shahzad to represent Pakistan in Tokyo Olympics |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/353050-badminton-star-mahoor-shahzad-to-represent-pakistan-in-tokyo-olympics |access-date=2 June 2021 |publisher=Geo News}} She was also Pakistan's flag bearer at the opening ceremony along with the sports shooter Muhammad Khalil Akhtar.{{Cite web |date=20 July 2021 |title=Khalil, Mahoor to be Pakistan's flag bearers in Tokyo |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1636157 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Dawn}}{{Cite web |date= |title=Akhtar and Mahoor to carry Pakistan's flag at Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1110474/akhtar-shahzad-pakistan-flag-tokyo-2020e |access-date=21 July 2021 |publisher=Inside the Games}}

Education

Shahzad graduated from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi in 2018, with Economics and Mathematics as her subjects.

Career

Shahzad began playing badminton in 2008 in Karachi.{{Cite web |title=Badminton Shahzad Mahoor - Tokyo 2020 Olympics |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/badminton/athlete-profile-n1473840-shahzad-mahoor.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725054803/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/badminton/athlete-profile-n1473840-shahzad-mahoor.htm |archive-date=25 July 2021 |access-date=25 July 2021 |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games}} She is a six-time national badminton champion of Pakistan.{{Cite web |last=Mehboob |first=Muzzamil |date=12 March 2022 |title=Mahoor Shahzad bags National Badminton Championship title |url=https://www.bolnews.com/sports/2022/03/mahoor-shahzad-bags-national-badminton-championship-title-for-6th-consecutive-year/ |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=BOL News}} She won the women's singles titles at the 2017{{Cite web |title=BWF - Yonex Sunrise Pakistan International Series 2017 - Winners |url=https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/winners.aspx?id=382125D4-2C38-41AF-A11C-E8D1934299D9 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=BWF-Tournament Software}} and 2019{{Cite web |date=11 November 2019 |title=Badminton star Mahoor Shehzad wins gold in 2019 Pakistan International Series |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2097382/badminton-star-mahoor-shehzad-wins-gold-2019-pakistan-international-series |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=The Express Tribune}} editions of the Pakistan International Series.

Achievements

= BWF International Challenge/Series (2 titles, 3 runners-up) =

Women's singles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

! Year

! Tournament

! Opponent

! Score

! Result

style="background:#D5D5D5"

| align="center" | 2016

| rowspan="3" align="left" | Pakistan International

| align="left" | {{flagicon|PAK}} Palwasha Bashir

| align="left" | 21–13, 18–21, 21–23

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

style="background:#D5D5D5"

| align="center" | 2017

| align="left" | {{flagicon|SRI}} Hasini Nusaka Ambalangodage

| align="left" | 21–15, 21–19

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

style="background:#D5D5D5"

| align="center" | 2019

| align="left" | {{flagicon|IRI}} Soraya Aghaei

| align="left" | 21–15, 16–21, 21–16

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

! Year

! Tournament

! Partner

! Opponent

! Score

! Result

style="background:#D5D5D5"

| align="center" | 2019

| align="left" | Pakistan International

| align="left" | {{flagicon|PAK}} Bushra Qayyum

| align="left" | {{flagicon|MDV}} Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq
{{flagicon|MDV}} Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq

| align="left" | 17–21, 13–21

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

style="background:#E9E9E9"

| align="center" | 2020

| align="left" | Kenya International

| align="left" | {{flagicon|PAK}} Palwasha Bashir

| align="left" | {{flagicon|EGY}} Doha Hany
{{flagicon|EGY}} Hadia Hosny

| align="left" | 13–21, 17–21

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

: {{Color box|#D8CEF6|border=darkgray}} BWF International Challenge tournament

: {{Color box|#D5D5D5|border=darkgray}} BWF International Series tournament

: {{Color box|#E9E9E9|border=darkgray}} BWF Future Series tournament

Personal life

Shahzad's father, Muhammad Shahzad, is an indoor rower athlete. Her sister, Rabia Shahzad, is a weightlifter who has won several international medals for Pakistan.{{Cite web |last=Hasan |first=Shazia |date=11 August 2019 |title=Badminton: The rising birdie |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1499200 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Dawn}}{{Cite web |last=Lakhani |first=Faizan |date=13 October 2019 |title=Pakistan's Rabia Shahzad on a roll, wins gold in Hampshire Weightlifting Championship |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/251100-pakistans-rabia-shahzad-on-a-roll-wins-gold-in-hampshire-weightlifting-championship |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Geo News}}{{Cite web |last=Raheel |first=Natasha |date=9 March 2019 |title=Pakistan's Rabia Shahzad wins silver at Singapore weightlifting championship |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1926261/pakistans-rabia-shahzad-wins-silver-singapore-weightlifting-championship |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=The Express Tribune}}{{Cite web |last=Raheel |first=Natasha |date=14 October 2019 |title=Two medals in a week: After silver, Pakistani weightlifter Rabia wins gold |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2079150/two-medals-week-silver-pakistani-weightlifter-rabia-wins-gold |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=The Express Tribune}}

Controversy

During 2020 Summer Olympics, Shahzad posted a video in which she was seen saying that while she has received praise for her achievements, there were some local badminton players who were jealous of her and acted like "Pathans".{{Cite web |date=29 July 2021 |title=Mahoor apologises for racist comments |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/870027-mahoor-apologises-for-racist-comments |access-date=21 September 2021 |publisher=The News International}}{{Cite web |date=28 July 2021 |title=Mahoor Shahzad apologises for her ‘Pathan’ comment |url=http://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/2378574 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Samaa TV}} She received a lot of criticism for ridiculing her fellow players and by extension, an entire ethnicity. After the backlash, she posted another video and apologized.{{Cite web |date=29 July 2021 |title=Olympian Mahoor Shahzad apologises for her comments on ‘Pathans’ |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1637596 |access-date=29 July 2022 |publisher=Dawn}}{{Cite web |date=28 July 2021 |title='In no way did I intend to pass racist comments,' Mahoor Shahzad says in apology |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/362181-mahoor-shahzad-issues-apology-over-video-ridiculing-fellow-pathan-players |access-date=21 September 2021 |publisher=Geo News}}