Mahmood ul Hassan

Mahmood-ul Hassan was a Pakistani field hockey player who competed at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics. He was born in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, on 8 August 1924. He started playing hockey at a young age and joined the Crescent Club in Lahore. He was a right winger and a skillful dribbler. He was selected for the Indian hockey team in 1947, but could not play due to the partition of India and Pakistan. He then joined the newly formed Pakistan hockey team and became one of its key players. He participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where Pakistan made its Olympic debut. He scored two goals in the tournament and helped Pakistan reach the fourth place. He also played in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where Pakistan won the silver medal, losing to India in the final. He scored three goals in the tournament and was the joint top scorer for Pakistan. He also won the gold medal in the 1954 Asian Games in Manila, where Pakistan defeated India in the final. He retired from international hockey after the Asian Games. He represented Pakistan in 43 international matches and scored 23 goals. He later became a coach and a selector for the national hockey team. He coached Pakistan to win the gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, where Pakistan defeated India in the final and ended their unbeaten streak. He also coached Pakistan to win the gold medal in the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. He was awarded the Pride of Performance by the government of Pakistan in 1962 for his services to hockey. He also received the Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee in 1984. He was regarded as one of the greatest hockey players in the history of Pakistan. He died of a heart attack on 18 February 1988, at the age of 63. He was buried in Lahore and mourned by the whole nation. He is remembered as a legend and a hero by the people of Pakistan.