Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic Record in the men's javelin throw final with a monster heave of 92.97 metres to upstage the Indian Tokyo Olympic Games gold medallist, Neeraj Chopra.
Nadeem had finished fourth in Tokyo and had struggled with injuries and financial crunch in the interim period. But on Thursday, Nadeem came up with a sensational effort to win the gold.
By the will of Almighty and the prayers of the entire nation, I have made it to the finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
— Arshad Nadeem (@ArshadOlympian1) August 6, 2024
I hope you’ll pray more for the finale coming up on August 8th at 11:25pm PST.
I will try my best to win the medal and make the whole nation proud. pic.twitter.com/7WOemIShsS
That gigantic throw of 92.97 put Nadeem at the top of the standings and he remained in that position managing throws of 88,72, 79.40m, and 84.87m and then ended the competition with a throw of 91.79 metres, the second time somebody crossed the 90m mark twice in the Olympics, as he became Pakistan's first gold medallist in individual competitions in the Olympics.
Nadeem won the first individual gold medal for Pakistan, who have till now won only three gold medals in the Olympics -- all in hockey.
Bravo Arshad 👏🏻
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 8, 2024
History made!
Pakistan’s 🇵🇰 first Olympic men’s javelin champion, Arshad Nadeem @ArshadOlympian1 brings home a historic #gold medal at #Paris2024 ! You've made the whole nation proud young man. pic.twitter.com/zRkG3RC3ND
Pride of Pakistan. 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/5aGWPms5fo
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 8, 2024
Only two Pakistanis have won individual medals -- both bronze medals bagged by Muhammad Bashir in Men's freestyle welterweight wrestling in 1960 and boxer Hussain Shah in Men's middleweight in 1988 in Seoul.
#OLYMPICRECORD FOR ARSHAD NADEEM! 🇵🇰@Worldathletics | #Athletics #Paris2024 | #OMEGA | #OMEGAOfficialTimekeeper pic.twitter.com/I8CRqO3A9M
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 8, 2024
The men's hockey team won Pakistan's last medal in the Olympics, a bronze in Barcelona in 1992. Nadeem ended a 32-year drought for an Olympic medal for Pakistan.
The country won its last gold medal in hockey in 1984 in Los Angeles.