Emotional Victory: Arshad Nadeem breaks down draped in Pakistan flag after historic olympic gold win
PTC News Desk: Arshad Nadeem made history by securing Pakistan's first Olympic gold medal in 32 years, shattering the Games record with a stunning throw of 92.97 meters in the men's javelin final. Before Arshad’s incredible achievement in Paris, Pakistan had never won an individual gold at the Olympics. The nation’s previous three golds were all in field hockey, with victories in 1960, 1968, and 1984.
Arshad’s victory was even more remarkable considering the challenges he faced, including difficulty affording a new javelin for training. After clinching the gold, an emotional Arshad, draped in the Pakistan flag, embraced his coach in a heartfelt moment that quickly went viral on social media.
In a podcast, @Arshadnadeem76 said, "Mera aik hi sponsor hai, aur wo mera baap hai". In English,"I have just one sponsor, my father".
For a guy, who struggled even to collect money to buy a new javelin worth just 85k(1000$), have no one to support him, not just scoring ????in… pic.twitter.com/dEkmcACcop — Aman Sharma (@amansharmadb) August 9, 2024
The 27-year-old javelin thrower, who had previously won the 2022 Commonwealth title, placed fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, and took silver at the Budapest World Championships last year, described his Olympic win as "very important for Pakistan." He added, "I have worked very hard over the years for this."
Speaking about his rivalry with Tokyo gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, who took silver in Paris, Nadeem said, "Like cricket, the javelin rivalry was present! People back home in Pakistan and India were eager to see us compete together." He highlighted that the rivalry between the two countries, whether in cricket or other sports, is a positive force, inspiring young people in both nations to follow and engage with the sport.
Chopra echoed Nadeem’s sentiments, noting that their competition could serve as a catalyst to attract more interest in athletics, particularly in javelin throwing.
Nadeem, not content to rest on his laurels, expressed his ambition to achieve even greater distances. "I was expecting to go even further, and I am hoping to go even further," he said, after surpassing his previous personal best by more than two meters with his record-setting throw. "I will try harder to extend my personal best to over 95 meters."
- With inputs from agencies
