Paris: Pakistani Olympian Arshad Nadeem has won the gold medal in the javelin throw event at the Paris Olympics. Arshad set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters.
Defending champion Neeraj Chopra from India came in second with a throw of 89.45 meters, having fouled five out of his six attempts.
This victory marks Pakistan’s first Olympic medal in 32 years, with the last one being a bronze medal in hockey at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Pakistan’s last gold medal was won 40 years ago in 1984, also in hockey.
In the final, Arshad Nadeem failed to throw on his first attempt, but his second attempt reached 92.97 meters, setting the longest throw in Olympic history. His subsequent throws were 88.72 meters, 79.40 meters, 84.87 meters, and 91.79 meters.
Previously, the Olympic record for the longest javelin throw was held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, who threw 90.57 meters at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Arshad Nadeem broke this 16-year-old record.
The final featured 12 athletes, including defending champion Neeraj Chopra from India. Neeraj qualified for the final with a throw of 89.34 meters, while Arshad Nadeem qualified in fourth place with a throw of 86.59 meters. The qualification standard for the final was either a throw of 84 meters or being among the top 12 best throws.
Before the final, Arshad Nadeem expressed optimism about his performance and confidence in delivering a strong performance.
The other athletes who competed in the final included Anderson Peters (Germany) with 88.63 meters, Julian Weber (Germany) with 87.76 meters, Julius Yego (Kenya) with 85.97 meters, Luis Marico de Silva (Brazil) with 85.9 meters, Jakub Vadlejch (Czech Republic) with 85.63 meters, Toni Keränen (Finland) with 85.27 meters, Andrian Mardare (Moldova) with 84.13 meters, Oliver Helander (Finland) with 83.81 meters, Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago) with 83.02 meters, and Lassi Etelätalo (Finland) with 82.91 meters.
It’s important to note that Pakistan last won a bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in hockey. Additionally, 27-year-old Arshad Nadeem has become the third Pakistani to win an individual Olympic medal.
Earlier, Pakistan’s first individual bronze medal was won by wrestler Muhammad Bashir in wrestling at the 1960 Rome Olympics, followed by boxer Hussain Shah from Karachi’s Lyari area, who won a bronze in middleweight boxing at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Of Pakistan’s 10 Olympic medals, 8 have been won by the national hockey team, including 3 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
