Javelin star Arshad Nadeem is being hosted at the Prime Minister House for a state banquet in his honour for securing the country’s first Olympic gold medal in 40 years.
Arshad made history in Paris last week with his win, setting a record in the Games with his monstrous 92.97-metre throw.
Arshad’s Olympic win was Pakistan’s first individual gold medal, first track and field medal as well as the second time a South Asian has had a podium finish in track and field.
The nation has since then been joyous — with the athlete arriving to a hero’s welcome back at his hometown Mian Channu and government leaders announcing the Hilal-i-Imtiaz award and cash prizes worth more than Rs155m for him.
Arshad, his family and coach Salman Iqbal Butt arrived at the PM House where they were received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Arshad’s entourage was later seated with the premier.
Addressing the event, Arshad thanked his family and the nation for their prayers, saying they enabled him to break the Olympic record for the javelin throw event.
He also thanked PM Shehbaz and the public for the welcome afforded to him upon his return, saying it was perhaps “even more so than my medal”.
“All of you give respect and this emboldens players and they work hard and advance,” he said, adding that a lot of hard work went into his journey and thanked his coach and Dr Ali Sher Bajwa for their support along the way.
Arshad said he had faith in himself before going for the Games since he had given it his all in preparation. “I qualified for the final at the Paris Olympics qualifying round with a first throw over 86m. I gained hope when I qualified that I would fight for the gold in the final,” he added.
Telling his experience about the day of the final, Arshad said the other players were warming up when he entered the field while he was worrying slightly about an injury he had.
Arshad said he blundered in his first throw, resulting in a foul, but “when I took the second throw … I took God’s name and when the [javelin] left my hand, I knew it was a throw over 90m.”
The premier said earlier today he would be hosting the dinner. Speaking during a federal cabinet meeting today, PM Shehbaz paid tribute to Arshad, highlighting that he overcame numerous challenges through his “unwavering effort”. The premier also commended the javelin thrower’s parents and coach for their support for the gold medallist.
Detailing the arrangements, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said a special aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force will bring Arshad, his family and his coach from the Multan airport, Radio Pakistan reported.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said a committee of federal ministers would receive the national hero at the Noor Khan airbase this evening, and he would be accorded state protocol during his visit.
The information and broadcasting ministry has been directed to produce a biopic on the struggle and life of the Olympic athlete, Radio Pakistan quoted Tarar as saying.
Arshad and PM Shehbaz will jointly hoist the national flag at the ceremony in Islamabad tomorrow to mark Independence Day, Tarar added.
The information minister later received Arshad and his entourage in Islamabad. “There is no limit to our joy that a national hero has reached the capital. The prime minister has scheduled a state banquet in his honour,” he said, adding that the Olympian and the premier would also jointly participate in the flag-hoisting ceremony on the occasion of Independence Day.
The information minister said the athlete would also tour Peshawar and Karachi to participate in events related to August 14.
Meanwhile, regaling his journey so far, Arshad credited the 2012 and 2014 editions of the Punjab Sports and Youth Festival and PM Shehbaz, then Punjab chief minister, for “planting” the seed of his sports career.
Arshad called for departments to give jobs to athletes, adding that the move boosts confidence for sports players and allows them to kick off their careers.
The Olympian also talked about the outpouring of love for him since his return to the country, mentioning the respect given to him wherever he passed.
According to APP, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has announced Umrah packages for Arshad and his family.
Arshad, along with his wife, children, and parents, would go for Umrah after the celebratory events had concluded, the report said.
Punjab CM Maryam visits Arshad in hometown
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited Arshad in his hometown of Mian Channu and awarded him a cheque worth Rs100 million for his medal.
CM Maryam arrived in Mian Channu via a helicopter today to visit Arshad at his home, where she was greeted by the javelin star and his family.
The chief minister congratulated Arshad and his mother Razia Parveen, with whom she also had a chat.
According to a press release, Maryam handed Arshad a cheque worth Rs100m, which she had announced previously, along with a Honda Civic car with a special registration number PAK-92.97 to commemorate the athlete’s winning throw.
The chief minister also handed Arshad’s coach a cheque worth Rs5m, commending him for the training he provided to the javelin superstar.
“Arshad Nadeem has brought unprecedented happiness to the nation,” Maryam was quoted as saying in the press release.
Senior Punjab minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, provincial sports minister Faisal Ayub Khokhar, special aide to CM Zeeshan Malik, MPA Sania Ashiq, former MPA Aamir Hayat Hiraj and ex-MNA Pir Aslam Bodla accompanied the chief minister.
The Punjab chief secretary, the area commissioner and his deputy, the additional inspector-general of police (South), and the sports secretary, among others, were also present on the occasion.
“The heights that parents’ prayers take a person to!”, Maryam said in a post on X as she shared a picture of her sitting with Arshad and his mother.
“Well done Arshad Nadeem,” the chief minister said in another post, sharing pictures of her adorning Arshad with a medal.
Additional input from APP
