Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record on Thursday, ending Pakistan’s 32-year wait for success at the Games by clinching the gold medal in the men’s javelin final in Paris.
The Mian Channu-born athlete had a slow start, with a no-throw on his first attempt. However, he stunned everyone with his second attempt, achieving a monstrous throw of 92.97 meters. This remarkable throw left the rest of the field trailing for the remainder of the competition.
Neeraj Chopra, the reigning champion and Nadeem’s rival, also began with a foul throw but managed to secure the silver medal with an 89.45m throw on his second attempt.
Grenada’s Anderson Peters earned his first Olympic medal, taking home bronze with an 88.54m throw.
Also Read: Arshad Nadeem Reaches Olympic Javelin Final with 86.59m Season Best
Nadeem’s achievement marks Pakistan’s first individual gold medal in track and field and the second time a South Asian athlete has reached the podium in this category. His throw shattered the previous Olympic record of 90.57m, set by the Netherlands’ Andreas Thorkildsen at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Additionally, it stands as the sixth-longest throw ever and the best in the world this year.
The final reignited the Pakistan-India rivalry that Nadeem and Chopra have maintained over the years. Last year, they finished 1-2 at the World Athletics Championships, with Chopra winning gold and Nadeem taking silver.
Chopra, who entered the final as the top seed with a throw of 89.34m, had a challenging night. The reigning world champion and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist had five foul throws, with his lone successful throw of 89.45m securing him the silver medal.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Nadeem on his historic win, stating on social media platform X, “You’ve made the whole nation proud young man.”
