Pakistan’s athlete Arshad Nadeem scripted history by winning the men’s javelin final in the Stade de France at the Paris Olympics 2024. On Thursday night, the 27-year-old, who was dubbed underdog, emerged as the first track and field competitor from Pakistan to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. Nadeem broke the 90.
57m record of Norway’s Andreas Thorkilden at Beijing 2008 when he put a distance of 92.97m, the longest throw in the world this year. Along with taking gold, the javelin thrower has become Pakistan’s first medallist since 1992, when their men’s hockey team clinched bronze in Barcelona.
The athlete who finished fifth in Tokyo and won a silver at the world championships in 2023, is now listed among the world’s four javelin throwers who’ve managed to cross the 90m mark at the Olympics. Not many know the 27-year-old was once a cricketer before switching to javelin. Nadeem claims leaving cricket was the “best thing” to happen to him.
“I wouldn’t be in the Olympics otherwise,” he said previously. - Incredible achievement #ArshadNadeem you've broken the drought & made Pakistan proud 🇵🇰 🪙 92.97m will be etched in history forever 🔥 Congratulations on this monumental feat 👏🏼 #IamGAME #ArshadNadeem #PakistanAtOlympics pic.
twitter.com/pVKG4Eap4E — Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) August 8, 2024 After his victory, the athlete said, “When I threw the javelin, I got the feel of it leaving my hand, and sensed it could be an Olympic .