Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem made history at the Stade de France on Thursday night by winning the men’s javelin final, becoming the first track and field athlete from Pakistan to win a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games. He achieved this with style, defeating his longtime rival and friend Chopra, and breaking an Olympic record along the way.
Arshad Nadeem Gold Medal
Arshad Nadeem, a Pakistani javelin thrower, is happy that people are talking about his competition with India’s Neeraj Chopra. He thinks this will inspire young athletes in both countries to work harder and achieve their goals. Recently, Nadeem beat Chopra for the first time and won a gold medal with a record-breaking throw. Chopra came in second, making their rivalry even more exciting.
Arshad Nadeem is Pakistan’s first solo medal winner in over 30 years, since boxer Hussain Shah won bronze in 1988. Interestingly, Nadeem and his rival Neeraj Chopra are not only competitors but also friends. They showed their friendship when Chopra helped Nadeem by donating to his fundraising campaign to buy a high-quality javelin a few months ago.
In a surprising turn of events, Arshad Nadeem, who stands over six feet tall, emerged as the unexpected winner in Thursday night’s final. Neeraj Chopra was favored to win, but Nadeem shocked everyone with two impressive throws over 90m, including a new Olympic record. This broke the previous record held by Andreas Thorkildsen since the 2008 Beijing Games. Nadeem’s victory was especially impressive given his previous win at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a throw over 90m.
Arshad Nadeem’s Early Life
Arshad Nadeem shared a glimpse into his early life, revealing that he initially pursued cricket and later tried table tennis before discovering his true calling in javelin throwing. Interestingly, he was encouraged to take up javelin throwing because of his physical build, which ultimately led him to excel in the sport.
Arshad Nadeem, from a small village in Punjab, credits his humble beginnings for keeping him grounded despite his achievements. He says that the support from his village has been instrumental in his success. Nadeem’s rural roots and farming background motivate him to excel, reminding him of where he came from and driving him to reach new heights. He remains humble and strives for even greater success, inspired by his origins.
