‘Will work even harder now’ - Arshad Nadeem refuses to sit back after historic Gold for Pakistan at Paris Olympics 2024

Add as a preferred source on Google

In a historic night at the Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem shattered records in the men's javelin throw final.

With a monumental throw of 92.97 meters, Nadeem not only secured his first Olympic gold medal but also set a new Olympic record. This victory holds even greater significance as it marks Pakistan's first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics.

"I want to thank the people who have worked so hard behind me for me to reach this level of fitness. When I threw the 92.97 m, I decided that I would have to do better. What I can say now is that I will work even harder now, " said Arshad Nadeem reflecting on his win.

"I had a knee injury, even after the surgery I got injured but by the grace of God and my doctor I was better in time, "

Nadeem's Olympic journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. At the Tokyo 2020 Games, he made history by becoming the first Pakistani athlete to qualify for an Olympic athletics final, where he finished fifth. Fast forward to Paris 2024, and Nadeem has etched his name in the history books once again, thanks to the support of an Olympic Solidarity scholarship.

His record-breaking throw in his second attempt not only secured him the top spot in the final but also broke the previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters, set by Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Additionally, Nadeem's throw placed him sixth on the all-time list of the longest javelin throws in history.

"There were lot of hurdles in my life, but I was able to get over them, I even got the help from the federation. I trained really hard in South Africa and overcame my flaws to give this performance." Nadeem revealed

Throughout the competition, Nadeem and Chopra held onto the top two positions, with Chopra unable to surpass the elusive 90-meter mark. Nadeem, however, managed to cross this milestone twice, with his final throw measuring 91.79 meters.
With this victory, Nadeem has become the first Pakistani athlete to win an individual Olympic gold medal, a feat that places him alongside the country's other Olympic heroes.

Before Nadeem's remarkable achievement, Pakistan had only two individual Olympic medalists-wrestler Muhammad Bashir, who won bronze at the Rome 1960 Games, and boxer Hussain Shah, who also won bronze at the Seoul 1988 Games. The country's remaining eight Olympic medals have come from their men's hockey team, which boasts three golds, three silvers, and two bronzes.

"I am very happy to have secured Pakistan's first medal in 32 years, this is the most of our independence day and this is my gift to my nation on this auspicious month" Nadeem concluded.