Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan made history by winning the country’s first-ever track and field medal at the Olympics with a gold in the men’s javelin final in Paris. Nadeem’s throw of 92.97m broke the Olympic record, dethroning defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India. This victory ended Pakistan’s 32-year medal drought at the Games, with the last medal coming in 1992 in men’s hockey. Nadeem’s achievement was even more remarkable considering he had come back from a knee injury earlier in the year.
Despite the lack of proper athletics facilities in Pakistan, Nadeem’s gold medal brought immense pride to the nation. His mentor and former coach, Rasheed Ahmad Saqi, expressed his overwhelming emotions, claiming he had predicted Nadeem would win a medal, and even believed it would be gold. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also congratulated Nadeem on his historic achievement, stating that he had made the whole nation proud.
The world record throw in javelin remains with Czechia’s Jan Zelezny, but Nadeem’s new Olympic record drew widespread praise and admiration from his compatriots. Supporters and family members in Nadeem’s hometown of Mian Channu celebrated his victory with joy and offered sweets to his mother. Nadeem’s gold medal win not only marked a personal milestone but also symbolized a moment of national pride and unity for Pakistan.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
