Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic record on Thursday after winning the gold medal in the men’s javelin final in Paris. With this triumph, Pakistan reached a significant turning point, ending a 32-year wait for Olympic gold. Nadeem gave a fantastic display of will and talent.
There were challenges on Nadeem’s way to the peak. He started slowly and missed his first attempt. However, he quickly rectified himself on his second throw and threw an astounding 92.97 meters. This throw not only guaranteed him the gold medal but also beat Andreas Thorkildsen of the Netherlands Olympic record of 90.57 meters set in Beijing in 2008.
The prevailing champion is Indian opponent Neeraj Chopra, who finished second with an 89.45-meter throw. Chopra, too, got off to a bad start, fouling on his first try. Despite throwing five foul balls during the contest, his second throw earned him a silver medal. Grenada’s Anderson Peters won bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters, his first Olympic medal.
Nadeem’s triumph adds to the increasing legacy of South Asian athletes on the Olympic scene. Only the second time a South Asian has placed on the podium in track and field events, Pakistan’s first individual gold medal goes to him and the first in track and field.
Arshad Nadeem’s record-breaking throw is now the sixth longest in history and the best in the world this year. His triumph reignites the ongoing intense Pakistan-India rivalry. Last year, Nadeem and Chopra competed in the World Athletics Championships, where Chopra won gold, and Nadeem took silver. Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic record, emphasizing his brilliance, but he also made Pakistan proud and accomplished by exposing the nation’s developing talent internationally.
