LAHORE: Pakistani javelin star Arshad Nadeem made his mark on Friday by securing a spot in both the final of the World Athletics Championships (WAC) and the s Olympics 2024. Nadeem’s remarkable throw of 86.79 metres, achieved during his third attempt in the qualifying round of the WAC held in Budapest, Hungary, not only secured his spot in the WAC final but also guaranteed his participation in the upcoming Olympics in Paris next year. The javelin throw final is scheduled for August 27 (Sunday). During his initial two attempts, he achieved distances of 70.63 metres and 81.53 metres, respectively. The Paris Olympics stipulates a qualifying minimum distance of 85.50 metres for the javelin throw, a requirement that the Pakistani athlete comfortably met.
In August last year, Nadeem achieved a record-breaking throw during the javelin final at the Commonwealth Games, securing Pakistan’s first track and field medal in 56 years. Nadeem’s monster 90.18-metre throw had brought Pakistan’s first athletics medal at the Games since 1966 and a first javelin gold for the country, bettering Mohammad Nawaz’s silver at the inaugural edition of the quadrennial multi-sport spectacle in 1954 and Jalal Khan’s second-place finish in 1958. Achieving that distance in his fifth throw, he had come on top in a field that included world champion Anderson Peters, former Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott and former Commonwealth and world champion Julius Yego.
Nadeem shot to fame when he finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, a feat which changed the entire life of the athlete. It not only fetched him fame and wealth but also transformed his personality. Nadeem then also finished fifth in the World Championship in the USA last year. Soon afterwards he recorded his best throw of 90.18 metres in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which is also a record throw of the quadrennial event. He then underwent elbow and left knee surgery in London, took time in his rehab and returned to the competitive field in May at the 34th National Games in Quetta. Although he failed to show his fitness there, he managed a gold for his department WAPDA. In this event, he received a heavy blow when he injured his right knee which later forced him to skip the Asian Championship held in Bangkok recently.