Golden Moment: Arshad Nadeem wears Olympic gold medal

Arshad Nadeem was awarded his gold medal on Friday after winning the men’s javelin throw with a monstrous 92.97m throw shattering the Olympic record a day earlier.

The 27-year-old stepped up to the podium to massive applause from the crowd, holding the coveted medal up to the camera.

With one hand on his chest, Nadeem sang the national anthem as he watched Pakistan’s flag being raised after 40 years at an Olympic stadium.

Despite practising with rickety equipment and with little access to the gyms and training grounds his international competitors have, Nadeem had given Pakistan its first Olympic gold medal in 40 years.

Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic record with a monstrous 92.97-metre throw, the sixth-longest all-time throw. The previous Olympic record was of Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway which he made during the 2008 Olympics with a throw of 90.57m. His two throws went ahead of the previous Olympic record.

Defending champion India’s Neeraj Chopra came in second with 89.45m followed by Grenada’s Anderson Peters in third with an 88.54m throw. It was after 40 years that Pakistan won an Olympic gold. The last time Pakistan won a hockey gold medal was in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. August 8 also marked exactly 32 years since Pakistan won an Olympic medal after the hockey team clinched a bronze with a 4-3 win over the Netherlands in Barcelona in 1992.

It is also Pakistan’s first-ever medal in Athletics and first-ever individual Olympics gold medal. Before Arshad, Muhammad Bashir won a bronze medal in wrestling in the 1960 Olympics while Hussain Shah won a bronze medal in wrestling in the 1988 Olympics.

National hero set to receive heroic welcome on his return

National hero Arshad Nadeem, who made entire nation proud by winning a gold medal with a remarkable record in javelin throw in the Paris Olympics, is set to receive a heroic welcome in his home town on his return, reported 24NewsHD Tv channel.

The deputy commissioner (DC) Khanewal had pledged that the son of the soil will be accorded a grand welcome by the district administration upon his return. “This is a great achievement of Arshad Nadeem. He has made nation  with his excellent performance in Paris,” the DC said.

On the other hand, celebrations continue at the residence of Olympian Arshad Nadeem. His former coach, Rasheed Ahmed Saqi, says Mian Channu is a fertile land with a lot of talent. He said if the younger generation focuses on other sports than cricket, they can make the country prouder.

“Arshad has made the nation proud,” he remarked.

Arshad Nadeem will take his homecoming flight to Pakistan from Paris on Saturday  at 10am Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

Arshad will reach Pakistan via Dubai at 1pm (August 11). The provincial sports minister and officials of the Pakistan Sports Board will welcome Arshad Nadeem at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore.