PARIS: Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal in the javelin throw event final at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, here on Thursday.
Arshad threw 92.97 meters in his second attempt, which was enough for him to win the gold medal.
The throw also set an Olympic record previously held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkeldsen, who registered at the 2008 Beijing Games.
This is the first individual gold medal for Pakistan at the Olympics, the first and the first gold medal in any discipline in the last 40 years of athletics.
Believe it, Nadeem.
You just became Pakistan’s first ever athletics Olympic champion. pic.twitter.com/Xiqi2ttCsl— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 8, 2024
Pakistan won an Olympic medal after a gap of 32 years. Pakistan last won a medal in 1992 when the national hockey team defeated Holland 4-3 to win the bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics.
Meanwhile, India’s Neeraj Chopra, who was defending his gold, threw 89.45 and bagged the silver medal. Andersen Peters of Grenada took the bronze medal with a throw of 88.54m.
Nation showered joy over Mian Channu-born javelin ace for becoming Pakistan’s first-ever athlete to win an individual gold medal and first-ever podium finish in track and field.
Felicitating Nadeem, President Asif Ali Zardari said: “Arshad Nadeem! You are the pride of the entire nation. The triumph of Nadeem is the victory of the entire nation.”
The president said that setting the new Olympic record and the longest javelin throw were great achievements. “You made us proud by winning a medal for Pakistan in the Paris Olympics.”
“Bravo Arshad, History made,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote heaping praise on Nadeem for setting a new Olympic record.
“Pakistan’s first Olympic men’s javelin champion, Arshad Nadeem brings home a historic gold medal at Paris2024.” You’ve made the whole nation proud young man, the premier said.
