Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem has set a new Olympic record by defeating India’s defending champion Neeraj Chopra in the javelin throw final.
Arshad Nadeem made history on Thursday by winning Pakistan’s first Olympic athletics medal by winning gold in the men’s javelin throw.
The 27-year-old from Mian Chanu, Punjab, defeated India’s defending champion Neeraj Chopra.
Nadim raised his arms in celebration after breaking the Olympic record with a stunning 92.97m throw on his second throw, the world record this year.
Chopra, who had a comfortable lead in qualifying and was considered a favorite to win, was not in top form. His best of 89.45 was his only valid attempt after he fouled out on five other attempts.
Grenada’s Anderson Peters took bronze with 88.54 points, a moment of redemption for the two-time world champion after failing to make the final at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
Of Pakistan’s previous eight Olympic medals, six came in men’s hockey, one each in men’s wrestling and boxing.
Nadeem’s feat was Pakistan’s first medal in its eighth Olympics, the last being a bronze medal for the men’s hockey team in Barcelona, ​​Spain in 1992.
The men’s javelin final was absolutely amazing 🔥
🥇 92.97m or Arshad Nadim 🇵🇰
🥈 89.45m @Neeraj_chopra1 🇮🇳
🥉 88.54m Anderson Peters 🇬🇩 #Paris2024 #Olympic pic.twitter.com/jPrVZZ6txl— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 8, 2024
Pakistan ‘very proud’ of Nadim
Two months before the Olympics began, Al Jazeera’s Abid Hussain spent a day with Arshad Nadim as he prepared for the Games.
Back in June, Nadim said he felt “strong and in good shape” for the world championships, adding: “I expect to do well in Paris.”
The world record still stands at Czech Republic’s Jan Zelezny, who clocked an incredible 98.48, but Nadym’s compatriots reacted from afar to the news that a new Olympic record and the Czech Republic’s long wait was over.
Pakistani men’s cricketer Fakhar Zaman said in a post on X that Pakistan was “shining with pride”, while Nadeem’s mentor and former coach Rashid Ahmad Sakhi was overcome with emotion after his player won the gold medal.
“This is a miracle of God and a gift for the whole country on Independence Day next week. I am so proud of Arshad,” he told Al Jazeera shortly after the gold medal was confirmed.
Saki claims she was confident Nadim would win a medal and predicted it would be gold.
“I had faith that he would break some record. I was confident that he would break his own record or the Olympic record, and he did.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also congratulated Arshad Nadeem for creating history for the nation.
He posted to X, “You have made the whole country proud.”
