Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record on Thursday. He ended 32-year old Pakistan wait for gold medal. He won the gold medal in the men’s javelin final in Paris.
Arshad Nadeem was born in Mian Channu. He started slow and did not throw on his first try. On his second try, he threw 92.97 meters. This was a big throw that no one else could match.
Neeraj Chopra was behind Nadeem on the podium. He also did not throw on his first try. He threw 89.45 meters on his second try. This earned him a silver medal.
Anderson Peters from Grenada took home bronze. He threw 88.54 meters. This was his first Olympic medal.
Nadeem’s throw was Pakistan’s first individual gold medal. It was also Pakistan’s first track and field medal. It was the second time a South Asian won a track and field medal. His throw broke the previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters. The old record was set by Andreas Thorkildsen from the Netherlands in 2008.
Arshad Nadeem ’s throw is the sixth longest ever. It is the best throw in the world this year. The final match was intense. It fueled the rivalry between Pakistan and India. Last year, Chopra won gold and Nadeem won silver at the World Athletics Championships.
Chopra had a tough night. He entered the final as the top seed with a throw of 89.34 meters. He had five foul throws. His only good throw was 89.45 meters, which won him silver.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Nadeem. He said, “You’ve made the whole nation proud young man.”
To read our blog on “Arshad Nadeem returns to Pakistan, gets a hero’s welcome,” click here