Pakistan’s athlete Arshad Nadeem became the first javelin thrower from the sub-continent to break the 90-metre mark and win gold for his country at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The entire country praised Arshad for his remarkable feat. This is the second gold Pakistan has bagged in the Commonwealth Games. Earlier, weightlifter Nooh Dastagir Butt won the first gold for Pakistan in the 2022 CWG with a record lift of 405kg.
In the first round of the javelin throw final, Arshad set a maximum record of an 86.81-metre throw. However, in the fifth attempt, he set a new CWG record of 90.18m throw and became the first Pakistani athlete to create that record.
It is a proud moment for Pakistanis and the entire Pakistani nation appreciated Arshad Nadeem for his outstanding performance in the 2022 Common Wealth Games.
Imran Khan on Arshad Nadeem
The former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan appreciated the Olympian for winning gold for the country despite carrying an elbow injury.
Sports personalities of Pakistan including Babar Azam also appreciated the olympian for his resolve and commitment to win gold for Pakistan.
With an eye to winning his maiden CWG medal, Pakistan’s star athlete Arshad Nadeem contested the men’s javelin throw final at the Alexander Stadium on Sunday. The event began at 07:40 pm (UK Time).
After the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and the recently-held World Championship silver medallist Neeraj Chopra of India decided to stay away from the quadrennial event due to a groin injury, Arshad has the perfect chance to finish at the podium in Birmingham.
Following a fifth-place finish in last year’s Tokyo Olympics, Arshad also ended fifth in the recently-held World Championship in the US with an 86.16-metre throw. This was also his third personal best throw, his best being 86.38m which had come in Iran and 86.29m which he pulled off in the 2019 Nepal South Asian Games.
The two-time world champion Anderson Peters was there in Birmingham and he was in great nick. He strongly defended his world title in the US recently with a monstrous throw of 90.54 metres.
The 2012 London Olympics gold medalist Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago also participated in the event. However, he lagged behind in the World Championship in the US previously. He failed to qualify for the finals as he just managed a throw of 78.87m. Nevertheless, he might be tricky, having a huge experience.
Kishorn has to his credit a bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics and silver in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. And it will be interesting to see how the trio deliver in Birmingham.
Arshad was confident to pull off his best in the quadrennial event.
“Yes, InshaAllah I will do my best,” Arshad said.
“I am in top shape. Yes, I carry an elbow injury and am playing with that. In the US, too, it troubled me as I felt pain during the World Championship but I am handling it nicely.”
Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra
Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem says he will miss competing against India’s Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra at the Commonwealth Games here as they are part of ‘one’ family.
Neeraj won a historic silver at the World Championships last month with a throw of 88.13m as Arshad finished fifth after becoming the first Pakistani to qualify for the finals.
Arshad said Neeraj bhai is my brother. “I miss him here. May God give him the best of health and I get to compete with him soon”.
Neeraj won a historic silver at the World Championships last month with a throw of 88.13m as Arshad finished fifth after becoming the first Pakistani to qualify for the finals.
The Indian pulled out of the CWG due to a groin strain while Arshad who continued to nurse an elbow injury and won the gold medal for Pakistan.
Arshad Nadeem said “I missed Neeraj Chopra, I hope he recovers soon. It would have been great if he was here competing” after winning javelin gold at CWG 2022!
Arshad Nadeem on Twitter
Arshad posted a video tweet after winning gold for Pakistan in the CWG. He praised God for bestowing him with victory, he thanked his parents and the people of Pakistan for their support and prayers, and dedicated his win to Pakistan.
