Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem beats Neeraj Chopra to clinch Olympics javelin gold

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem created history on Thursday when he clinched his nation’s first-ever track and field medal at the Olympic Games by claiming gold in men’s javelin throw in Paris.

The 27-year-old, who threw the javelin to a new Olympic record distance of 92.97M, dethroned India’s defending Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra at the Stade de France.

Nadeem threw his arms up in celebration after breaking the Olympic record – the best in the world this year.

Men's javelin throw final was BIG

92.97m OR Arshad Nadeem
89.45m @Neeraj_chopra1
88.54m Anderson Peters #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/jPrVZZ6txl

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 8, 2024

Chopra, who was comfortably ahead in qualifiers and a title favourite, was not in his best form. His best of 89.45M was his only valid attempt, as he fouled on his five other attempts.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters won bronze with an 88.54M throw, a redemptive moment for the two-time world champion after he failed to make it to the final at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

However, the night clearly belonged to the humble man from Mian Channu, who came back from a knee injury early this year and made history for his country despite the dilapidated athletics facilities in the cricket-mad nation.

Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record in the Javelin throw!!!! 92.97m!!!! pic.twitter.com/WrngZ4DPJN

— Khurram Husain (@KhurramHusain) August 8, 2024

Of Pakistan’s eight previous Olympic medals, six came in men’s hockey and one each in men’s wrestling and boxing.

Nadeem’s achievement also marked the first medal by Pakistan in eight Olympics, with the last medal coming in 1992 as the men’s hockey team won bronze in Barcelona, Spain.

The world record throw remains with the Czech Republic’s Jan Zelezny, who reached a remarkable 98.48M. But the new Olympic record, along with the end of a long wait for his country, drew reactions from Nadeem’s compatriots.

Pakistan men’s cricketer Fakhar Zaman said the country was ‘beaming with pride’ in a post on X, while Nadeem’s mentor and former coach Rasheed Ahmad Saqi was overwhelmed with emotions after his ward won the gold medal.

“This is God’s miracle and a gift for the entire nation on our independence day next week. I’m just so proud of Arshad. I’d this belief that he’ll break some record. I was certain he’ll break his own record or Olympic record and that’s what he did,” he told Al Jazeera moments after the gold medal was confirmed.

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