Arshad Nadeem, a 27-year-old athlete from Pakistan, ended his country’s four-decade-long wait for an Olympic gold medal by claiming victory at the Paris Games on Thursday. His remarkable throw of 92.97 meters not only earned him the gold but also set a new Olympic record.
Pakistan had been longing for an Olympic gold medal since its hockey team’s triumph at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
When Pakistan’s National Sports Board was deciding which of the seven athletes heading to the Paris Olympics would receive financial support, only Arshad Nadeem and his coach, Salman Fayyaz Butt, were chosen.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) funded their air tickets, providing essential backing for Nadeem’s Olympic journey.
On Thursday, the athlete from Khanewal village in Punjab rewarded that trust by breaking the Olympic record and securing Pakistan’s first-ever individual gold medal on the world’s biggest stage.
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Standing at 6’3″, Nadeem delivered a breathtaking performance, launching the javelin an astounding 92.97 meters, surpassing the previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters. Among his competitors was his close friend and fierce rival, India’s Neeraj Chopra.
Despite his season-best throw of 89.45 meters, defending champion Neeraj Chopra had to settle for the silver medal. At 26 years old, Chopra continues to chase the elusive 90-meter mark, a milestone that appears to be a mental hurdle during competitions.
In contrast, while Chopra has benefited from significant support and resources throughout his career, newly crowned Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem once faced financial difficulties, even struggling to afford his own javelin.
Nadeem’s father Muhammad Ashraf told after his qualification to the Olympics finals, “People have no idea how Arshad got to this place today. How his fellow villagers and relatives used to donate money so that he could travel to other cities for his training and events in his early days.”
Pakistan sent seven athletes to the Paris Olympics, but only one made it to the finals in their event—Arshad Nadeem.
This marked a significant achievement as Nadeem reached the finals for the second consecutive Olympics. His success was met with immense pride and celebration at home, where his family, including his parents, brothers, wife, and children, rejoiced with chants of “Pakistan Zindabad” and distributed sweets to mark the occasion.
A few months earlier, Nadeem had requested a new javelin for his training, and Neeraj Chopra publicly supported his request on social media.
Despite dealing with injuries and limited access to facilities and equipment compared to other countries, Nadeem’s outstanding achievements have shifted the spotlight in Pakistan, drawing attention away from cricket and towards athletics.
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