“My training and hard work have paid off,” Pakistan’s Olympic record-breaking javelin thrower said after winning gold on Thursday.
“When I released the javelin, I felt it leave my hand and sensed it could be an Olympic record, inshallah (God willing),” Arshad said.
He defeated defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India to secure Pakistan’s first Olympic medal in athletics.
The rivalry with Chopra “is there, no doubt”, he added.
“Like cricket, the javelin rivalry was present! People back home in Pakistan and India were eager to see us compete together.
“Rivalry is there when it comes to cricket matches, other sports, the two countries have a rivalry, but it’s a good thing for the young people in both countries to watch our sport and follow us.
“It’s a positive thing for both countries.”
Chopra agreed, saying it was good for both countries, and could act as a spur to attract more people to athletics, and javelin in particular.
“I’m not that happy with my performance today and also my technique and runway was not that good,” said Chopra, who has struggled with a groin injury.
Chopra, the strongest by far in qualifying and favourite to retain his title, struggled. His throw of 89.45, which won him the silver medal, was his only valid effort as he fouled on his five other attempts.
After Chopra’s last attempt failed, it sealed the Pakistani javelin thrower’s victory. He knelt down and kissed the ground.
Nadeem, who has likened his Olympic competition with Chopra to the intense rivalry between Pakistan and India in cricket, has previously expressed the challenges of being a non-cricket athlete in Pakistan, where resources and facilities for his sport are limited.
The Pakistani previously finished fifth in Tokyo, but later improved to take silver at last year’s world championships.
He celebrated by raising his arms after setting a new Olympic record with a remarkable throw of 92.97 meters, placing him sixth on the all-time list. He also baged the first individual Olympic gold medal for his country.
Nadeem said he had big ambitions for throwing even further.
“I was expecting to go even further and I am hoping to go even further,” he said after his new Olympic record beat his previous best by more than two metres.
“I will try harder to even extend my personal best to over 95 metres.”
Pakistan’s last medal came at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, through its field hockey team.
The last time Pakistan won an Olympic gold medal was in 1984 in the field hockey tournament. Pakistan won the gold medal for the third time by defeating West Germany 2–1 in the final.
Nadeem’s triumph is a monumental achievement for Pakistan, marking a significant milestone in the country’s sporting history.
