Arshad Nadeem, initially seen as the underdog, made a historic mark at the Stade de France by winning the men’s javelin final, becoming the first track and field athlete from Pakistan to secure a gold medal at the Olympic Games.
With impressive skill, Nadeem defeated his long-time rival and friend, Neeraj Chopra, and broke an Olympic record. He surpassed the previous record of 90.57 meters, set by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with a stunning throw of 92.97 meters on his second attempt. The crowd erupted in cheers as the distance was displayed, confirming it as the longest throw of the year.
This victory not only ended Pakistan’s Olympic medal drought since 1992, when the country won a bronze in men’s hockey in Barcelona but also made Nadeem one of only four athletes to cross the 90-meter mark in men’s javelin at the Olympics. The 27-year-old, who finished fifth in Tokyo and won silver at the 2023 World Championships, had already made history as the first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any Olympic track and field event.
Nadeem, who once pursued cricket, switched to javelin, calling it “the best thing that happened to me.” He acknowledged that he wouldn’t have reached the Olympics otherwise and highlighted the challenges non-cricket athletes face in Pakistan, including a lack of resources and facilities.
Throughout his journey, Nadeem has spoken about overcoming obstacles and achieving success without access to top-tier training facilities. He has advocated for better funding for track and field athletes in Pakistan, emphasizing the need for world-class facilities to compete globally.
While Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion, aimed to break the 90-meter mark and win another gold, he fell short, achieving a season-best of 89.45 meters. Grenada’s Anderson Peters took the bronze with an 88.54-meter throw.
Nadeem now expects to receive the same level of adulation that Chopra did when he won India’s first Olympic athletics gold. Despite the usual intense rivalry between Indian and Pakistani sports teams, Nadeem and Chopra have maintained a strong friendship. During qualifying, Nadeem recorded an 86.59-meter throw to hit the qualification mark, while Chopra went further with a throw of 89.34 meters.
Nadeem expressed his joy at having two South Asian athletes performing on the world stage, hoping they continue to make their countries proud. Following his victory, he received congratulations from prominent cricketers like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Umar Gul, earning praise worldwide.
