Arshad Nadeem Historic javelin gold in Olympics
On Thursday, Arshad Nadeem secured a gold medal in the men’s javelin event, surpassing the defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India to claim Pakistan’s first Olympic medal in athletics.
Nadeem celebrated by raising his arms in triumph after shattering the Olympic record with his second throw, reaching an impressive 92.97 meters—the highest throw of the year globally
This marks Pakistan’s first Olympic gold in an individual event and their first gold in the Summer Games since their hockey team won its third gold medal in 1984.
Neeraj Chopra, who was leading in the qualifiers and favored to win, did not perform at his best. His best throw of 89.45 meters was also his only valid attempt, as he fouled on his other five attempts
Grenada’s Anderson Peters earned a bronze medal with a throw of 88.54 meters, marking a redemptive moment for the two-time world champion who did not advance to the final at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
Peters pushed Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, who had won silver in Tokyo, into fourth place
Nadeem knelt and kissed the ground after Chopra’s failed final attempt secured his victory. The Pakistani athlete, who finished fifth in Tokyo, improved his performance to win silver at last year’s World Championships.
The 27-year-old has emphasized the difficulties of being a non-cricket athlete in Pakistan, pointing out the lack of resources and facilities for his sport
Given Chopra’s massive following in India since winning Olympic gold, Nadeem’s performance on Thursday could potentially shift the landscape.
Chopra, who boasts over nine million Instagram followers, has significantly elevated the profile of athletics in India, according to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.