Pakistani track and field athlete Arshad Nadeem made history on Thursday night when he won the men’s javelin final at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 27-year-old Nadeem became Pakistan’s first track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He set the longest world record this year with a throw of 92.97 metres, beating Norway’s Andreas Thorkilden’s previous record of 90.57 metres.
In winning the gold medal, he became Pakistan’s first medallist since the men’s hockey team won bronze in Barcelona in 1992. Coming in fifth in Tokyo and winning silver at the 2023 World Championships, he became one of just four javelin throwers in the world to break the 90 metres barrier at an Olympic Games.
His victory celebrations erupted among Dubai’s Pakistani community, with many taking to social media to congratulate the player. “One throw can lift the morale of an entire country,” one user wrote. Another added, “Waking up with a smile and pride is not normal for a normal Pakistani. Thank you Arshad for doing it all singlehandedly.”
One shot can boost morale for an entire country!
Zum #Pakistancongratulations once again! #Arshad Nadeem I did the unthinkable 🥇 pic.twitter.com/oKqN5AMfeZ
— Abdul Rafay Gadit (@ARafayGadit) August 9, 2024
Waking up with a smile and pride is not something that is normal for a normal Pakistani. Thank you Arshad for doing it all on your own. #Arshad Nadeem #Olympic #Olympic #gold pic.twitter.com/pDMWUnzy3D
— Azeem Siddiqui (@aze3msiddiqui) August 9, 2024
What Arshad achieved was overcoming huge obstacles, without proper facilities and without the same financial backing as his competitors. But this is the exception, not the norm. I hope Arshad’s case will inspire us to invest more in sport and athletes, rather than using this as an excuse… — Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) August 8, 2024
Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic medal win is a ray of hope for Pakistan’s struggling sporting scene. But his victory could also be the spark for a sports revolution. Now is the time to invest in grassroots sports development, upgrade infrastructure and provide resources to nurture talent. pic.twitter.com/67WPJwZCfL
— Muneeb Farooq (@Muneeb313_) August 9, 2024
Nadeem was competing against reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who won India’s first Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. However, Chopra, suffering from a groin injury, was unable to clear 90 metres this time. The 26-year-old Chopra’s best time was 89.45 metres. He was followed by Anderson Peters of Grenada, who took the bronze medal with a best time of 88.54 metres.
Related Article | Paris Olympics 2024: Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem wins gold in javelin, India’s Neeraj Chopra wins silver
