Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal for Pakistan after 40 years by giving a record-setting performance in the Paris Olympics. It is also Pakistan’s first gold medal in individual events.
To get the gold medal, 12 athletes tried to throw the javelin the longest distance with their eyes on the medal.
Peter Anders of Grenada threw the first throw of 84.70 meters while Kishore of Trinidad and Tobago threw the first throw of 86.16 meters.
India’s Neeraj Chopra’s first throw was missed and he committed a foul while throwing. Lassi of Finland made the first throw of 78.81 meters.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and Germany’s Javelin Weber could not make the first throw.
Arshad Nadeem threw 92.97 meters in his second throw and threw the longest throw in the history of the Olympics.
It should be noted that the record for the longest throw in the Olympics was held by Andreas Thordkalsen of Norway, who threw 90.57 meters in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
In the entire competition, no athlete failed to come close to Arshad and cross the 90m line.
Arshad Nadeem threw his last throw of 91.79 meters to make it two times in the same event that he threw more than 90 meters.
A look at Pakistan’s Olympics medals
Pakistan last won a gold medal in 1984 while Pakistan’s last medal was bronze in 1992 and that too in field hockey.
Earlier, Pakistan won a medal in individual events in 1988, this medal was won by Shah Hussain Shah in boxing in 1988 while Pakistan’s first individual media was also a bronze medal won by Muhammad Bashir in 1960.
Prayers of the nation
Meanwhile, the entire nation continued to pray for the success of Arshad Nadeem. Athletes, artists, actors, and politicians had only Arshad Nadeem’s name on their tongues.
Everyone wished and prayed that Arshad Nadeem would raise Pakistan’s crescent flag.
Arshad Nadeem’s wife told Geo News that along with us, the whole country is praying for Arshad Nadeem, the people of the neighborhood were also praying for Arshad Nadeem’s success.
Final competition setting
In the first stage, all 12 athletes threw the javelin three times. After three turns, the 8 athletes with the best throws took three more turns.
The best throw in a total of six overs is adjudged to be the player’s final throw. At the same time, Arshad Nadeem’s second and first legal throw of the competition reached 92.97 meters, which gave Arshad the right to the gold medal.
Season-best
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem topped the field with a season-best of 86.59. The season-best throw of four players in the final was better than Arshad’s.
India’s Neeraj Chopra’s season best was 89.34 meters while Jacob Weidlich’s season best was 88.65. Grenada’s Andreasen Peters had a season best of 88.63 while Germany’s Julian Weber had a season best of 88.37.
90 meters
Out of the 12 players in the final, five players had personal best throws longer than 90 meters.
Arshad Nadeem’s personal best throw was 90.18 meters. Grenada’s Anderson Peters threw 93.07 meters, Kenya’s Julius Yego 92.72 meters and Czech Republic’s Jakub Wedlich threw 90.88 meters.
Qualifying Round
Arshad Nadeem threw 86.59 meters in the qualifying round. Neeraj Chopra reached the final with a throw of 89.34m, Peters Anderson 88.63m, and Julian Weber 87.76m.