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Arshad Nadeem made history on August 8, 2024, by securing Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal in four decades during the men’s javelin final at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. The 27-year-old athlete shattered the previous Olympic record with a remarkable throw of 92.97 meters on his second attempt, earning him a well-deserved place in the record books.
Arshad Nadeem Defeating Strong Competitors
Nadeem’s exceptional performance saw him outdistance reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India, who claimed the silver medal with a throw of 89.45 meters. Anderson Peters of Grenada took the bronze with a distance of 88.54 meters. Nadeem’s throw surpassed the previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters, set by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen at the 2008 Beijing Games.
National Pride and Celebrations over the win by Arshad Nadeem
The victory was celebrated across Pakistan, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif leading the congratulations. In a statement from his office, Sharif praised Nadeem for presenting “a wonderful gift to the entire Pakistani nation.” He also expressed his pride on social media, stating, “You have made the whole nation proud.”
The triumph sparked celebrations in Nadeem’s hometown of Mian Channu, Punjab, where locals gathered to watch the event on a large screen. The achievement marks a significant milestone for Pakistan, which had not won an individual Olympic gold medal until Nadeem’s record-breaking performance.
Pakistan’s Olympic History
Before Nadeem’s victory, Pakistan had only won three Olympic gold medals, all in field hockey, with the team winning in 1960, 1968, and 1984. The country’s last Olympic medal came at the 1992 Barcelona Games, where the field hockey team secured a bronze medal. Prior to Nadeem, only two Pakistani athletes had won individual Olympic medals—a bronze in wrestling in 1960 and a bronze in boxing in 1988.
Nadeem’s groundbreaking achievement not only ends a 32-year medal drought for Pakistan but also sets a new standard for the nation’s athletes on the world stage.