Who is Arshad Nadeem? Meet Pakistan's only gold medal winner in track & field at Olympics

Published at :August 10, 2024 at 8:15 PM

Modified at :August 10, 2024 at 8:15 PM

Arshad Nadeem crushed the javelin Olympic record to win Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal since 40 years.

History was created in the javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics 2024 by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who recorded a massive 92.97m throw to stun the world. By doing so, Pakistan won its maiden individual medal at the Paris Games. His splendid outing prevented Neeraj Chopra from defending his gold medal, who had to ultimately settle for silver.

Nadeem is generally a slow starter and doesn’t have an incredible record to boast off in the qualification round, historically. However, he has been in good form lately and when he threw an impressive 86.59m during the qualification round, he certainly made a statement.

His first take in the final was a messed up one. Initially, he struggled with his run-up and made a false start. With less time in hand, he was rushed into the throw ultimately leading to a foul. The ghosts of the Tokyo Olympics seemed to be lingering over the Pakistani, but it was his second attempt which made the world stop and take notice!

Arshad Nadeem’s path to glory

Early life

Arshad Nadeem was born on January 2, 1997, in the small district of Mian Channu, Pakistan. He was a versatile sports enthusiast who dabbled in all the sports at his school, from badminton to football. But, his heart settled on cricket, which he played until district-level tape-ball tournaments.

Nadeem was a typical village guy from Pakistan who had a passion for sports, particularly cricket and javelin. The man who introduced Arshad to the javelin was Rasheed Ahmad Saqi, who trained him for hours on how to use his elbow to throw the javelin with maximum force and precision.

The man from Pakistan mentioned that he used to give a bamboo stick to the village craftsman and instruct him to shape it into a javelin to practice on the ground.

Financial Hurdles

Nadeem wasn’t a man of wealth or luxury, unlike many of his peers. He was a humble, unassuming young man from Punjab, Pakistan, raised in a low-income family. His father worked as a mason and supplemented his income with relatives to make ends meet.

Arshad never envisioned a career in sports until his brothers encouraged him to take athletics seriously. With their support, he participated in various school events, including the discus throw, javelin and races.

Lacking the funds to buy proper sports equipment, Arshad faced significant financial challenges. However, his unwavering determination and relentless hard work eventually earned him a place on Pakistan’s national athletics team, where he proudly represented his country on the international stage.

Excellence in international arena

Nadeem threw a distance of 65m during his WAPDA (Water & Power Development Authority Sports) trials, catching the eye of national coaches who saw his potential. With the backing of his family and coach, the Pakistani paved his way to global competitions despite his poor financial condition.

He secured back-to-back bronze medals in 2016 in two javelin events, announcing himself to the world. Here is a list of Arshad Nadeem’s exceptional performances since 2016:

2016: South Asian Games – 3rd Place
2016: Asian Junior Athletics Championships – 3rd Place
2018: Commonwealth Games – 8th Place
2018: Asian Games – 3rd Place
2019: Asian Championships – 6th Place
2019: South Asian Games – 1st Place (NR)
2019: World Athletics Championships – 16th Place (NR)
2020: Tokyo Olympics – 5th Place
2022: Commonwealth Games – 1st Place (NR)
2023: World Athletics Championships – 2nd Place (SB)

History at Paris Olympics

August 9 will be a day marked in Pakistan’s calendar as ‘Arshad Nadeem Day,’ having created history by breaking the Olympic record for the longest javelin throw. He recorded 92.97m in his second attempt and breached the 91m limit for the second time in the final attempt.

Post his memorable triumph, Nadeem was showered with praise from across the globe and received appreciation from his nemesis- Neeraj Chopra too. The duo’s mothers exchanged heartwarming words when asked about their son’s rival.

"If mothers ran the world, there would be no hate, no wars. #ArshadNadeem's mother: 'Neeraj Chopra is like a son to me. I prayed for him too.' (courtesy indyurdu) #NeerajChopra's mother: 'We're happy with silver. The one who won gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also my child.'"… pic.twitter.com/hCHGGZ6c30
— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) August 9, 2024

The first Pakistani to win a medal at the Olympics in track and field and the only athlete from the country to win an individual gold at the Games are some of the incredible records the 27-year-old boasts off.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram