After javelin star Arshad Nadeem earned another gold medal for Pakistan at the Asian Athletics Championship, celebrations erupted in his hometown.
His family distributed sweets amid the sound of beating drums, marking the moment with jubilation.
Speaking to Geo News, Nadeem’s mother said that he worked very hard for this competition despite limited resources. “My son will continue to make Pakistan proud,” she added.
Nadeem’s father also expressed his joy, saying that he is thankful to the entire nation for praying for his son’s success.
The javelin star made the nation proud by winning the gold medal at the Asian competition final, finishing with a powerful throw of 86.40 metres in his final attempt.
Nadeem, who holds the Olympic record after a monstrous 92.97-metre throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics, delivered a performance just short of the Asian Championship record, which stands at 86.72 metres.
He became the first Pakistani in over 50 years to win a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships, marking Pakistan’s first gold since 1973 when the country last claimed top honours in javelin throw and 800 meters — won by Allah Dada and Muhammad Younis, respectively, during the event in the Philippines.
He is also Pakistan’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medalist and the nation’s first medalist in athletics at the Summer Games.
So far, he has won four golds, one silver, and four bronze medals in various events, including the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, South Asian Games, and Asian U20 Championships.
