With tears in his eyes, Arshad Nadeem witnessed the pinnacle of his career. The Pakistani national flag soared high, and the anthem echoed across the Stade de France. Arshad Nadeem became the best Olympic javelin thrower with his historic throw, bringing immense pride to his nation.
From a humble brick podium to the Olympic podium, Arshad Nadeem’s journey is a testament to his resilience—a quality his people celebrated with patriotic chants.
The Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore reverberated with cries of “Pakistan Zindabad” and “Arshad Zindabad” as enthusiastic fans greeted him early on August 10. Arshad Nadeem stepped out of the shadows and into the history books on Friday. He achieved a record-breaking feat and his final throw of 91.79 meters was the second-best in the competition.
The 27-year-old athlete from Mian Channu in Pakistan’s Punjab province made history. He broke an Olympic record with a remarkable throw of 92.97 meters on his second attempt in the men’s javelin final. Nadeem surpassed the previous record of 90.57 meters, set by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Also See: PAYF Bulletin: August 8, 2024
Celebration
“Our brother has won the gold medal and I’ve lost my voice because I’ve been celebrating all night,” his brother Shahid Nadeem told CNN on August 09, 2024, as celebrations continued into the night across Pakistan. Nadeem is the third of eight siblings born to Muhammad Ashraf, a retired construction worker, and Raziah Parveen.
“When he gets home we will celebrate him in such a way that the world will never forget! We are simple people and will celebrate with kheer (rice pudding) and whatever Allah gives us, we are happy!” Shahid said.
Nadeem arrived in Paris as a silver medalist. He had made history as the first Pakistani athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in 2023. On August 8, 2024, in the final, he triumphed over defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India, who took home the silver medal.
