History:
Childhood of Arshad Nadeem
Arshad Nadeem (Gold Medalist in Olympic 2024 Paris) Born in Mian Channu. He belonged with the Punjabi Family. He is the third oldest among eight siblings. Arshad was a stylish and unusual athlete in his early life. He play every game that’s played in his school but mostly liked cricket.
He played Cricket as his passion. And as soon as he found himself in the district level Tap Ball Cricket tournament. As Arshad was an athlete at school time and also played Tap Ball Cricket very well Arshad caught the eye of Ahmad Raza Saqi during Athletes competition. Saqi is the person that makes history to make sportspeople in his division. He took Arshad under his wings afterwards.
Personal life
Arshad Nadeem is married and has a daughter and a son. He is a devout Muslim. Nadeem describes himself as an introvert. His coach, Salman Iqbal Butt, a former national-level discus thrower, remembered him as a very respectful and obedient athlete who bowed his head as he listened to his coach’s words. “He is Zen-like. He is quiet and focused, and no matter the setback, he does not let it linger.
Journey of Arshad Nadeem in Javelin Throw and Records
Arshad Nadeem forced to shot put and discus throw before setting on javelin throw. So, at national level Arshad Nadeem won the Gold Medal first time and it is also success of Punjabi youth culture. It was his Father Muhammad Arshad that persuaded him to take part in the javelin throw.
As we discuss above that Arshad Nadeem was a Cricketer than he changes his mind and decided to choose athletes sports (Javelin Throw). He picks up the javelin first time in 2015.He has a knowledge that this sport is good for him and it’s become a future of Arshad Nadeem.
Successful Stories of Arshad Nadeem
Arshad Nadeem Started competition in Javelin throw in 2015-2016.and won the gold medal in return he got scholarship from the World Athletics which made him eligible to get training at IAAF High Performance training center in Mauritius.
- In India, Guwahati, In South Asian Games he won a bronze medal and made a national record in February 2016.and his personal best at 78.33m.
- In June 2016 Nadeem won the bronze medal at 17th Asian Junior Athletics Championship Held in Ho chi Minh City.
- In May 2017, Nadeem won a bronze medal with a throw of 76.33 m at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku.
- In April 2018, he set a new personal best of 80.45 m in the qualification round of the Commonwealth Games, held in Gold Coast, Australia, and finished eighth. He also sustained a back injury following the end of 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- In August 2018, he won a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he set a new personal best and national record of 80.75 m
- In the 2019 world Athletic Championships.in Doha, Qatar the one and only Pakistani athlete break his own record from throw of 81.52m. Nadeem again break the National record by the throw of 83.62m in November 2019 and win the gold for WAPDA in PeshawarÂ
- And after it in December 2019 he won a gold medal with an 86.29 m games record throw at the 13th south Asian games in Nepal.
Olympics and international success (2021 – present day)
2020 Tokyo Olympics
Nadeem represented Pakistan in the 2020 world as an Olympic athlete and made his debut in the world Olympics. The 2020 summer Olympic athlete held in 2021 in Tokyo. He became the first Pakistani on the track of world Olympics as an athlete. Nadeem’s Father stated that Nadeem was not provided with a good training ground facility prior to competing at the Olympics. Nadeem gets his training in his home’s courtyard.
Nadeem’s Financial condition
Nadeem’s financial condition before Olympics was that he had no money to buy a javelin. In place of javelin, he used handmade stick like a javelin. And he had no gym for exercise. Arshad workout in his home’s courtyard and eat pure butter for his diet. He does not even used any protein or any other product for energy and for getting fit. He is a village boy and spend all life to make Pakistan’s Name in the world.
Nadeem trained in his home’s courtyard and on the streets, and is believed to have not received any financial assistance from the Government of Pakistan after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. Nadeem has openly spoken about the extreme difficulties of non-cricket sports people in Pakistan, who are largely ignored and neglected by sports officials.
On 4 August 2021, he qualified for the men’s javelin throw event final of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He became the first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any Olympic track and field event. He finished fifth in the men’s javelin throw with a throw of 84.62 m.
2022 World Athletics Championships
From March 2022, until the start of the world championships, Nadeem trained in South Africa under the supervision of coach Tereus Liebenberg. The training was arranged by the Athletic Foundation of Pakistan (AFP).
In July 2022, Nadeem participated in the 2022 athletic championship in Eugene, Oregon, US, as the sole representative from Pakistan. He finished fifth in the final with a throw of 86.16 m,
2022 Commonwealth Games
On 7 August 2022, Nadeem won a gold medal for Pakistan at the 2022 commonwealth games. Despite being injured, he set a games record with his throw of 90.18 m on his fifth attempt, surpassing world champion Anderson’s peter 88.64 becoming the first South Asian to surpass the 90 m mark. This was Pakistan’s first athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games since 1962.
2022 Islamic Games: Gold medal
Five days later, on 12 August 2022, Nadeem won another gold medal for Pakistan at the 2021 Islamic Solidarity Games. He broke the games record with his throw of 88.55 m.
In November 2022, Nadeem won the gold medal in the javelin throw, with a toss of 81.21 m, at the 50th National Athletics Championship in Lahore. Visit our website WA Sports
Elbow and knee injury (Late 2022)
Nadeem left for the UK on 1 December 2022 to get treatment on his injured elbow and knee joint. The AFP arranged for him to be treated at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital. After a ten-day rehabilitation and physiotherapy period, full recovery took a further four to six weeks
2023 Pakistan National Games
Nadeem participated in the National Games of Pakistan and won a gold medal. However, he suffered a knee injury, which ruled him out of the Asian Athletics Championships. AFP president Akram Sahi blamed WAPDA for forcing Nadeem to participate in the National Games
2023 World Athletics Championships: Silver medal
Nadeem won a silver medal at the 2023 World Athletic Championship in Budapest with a throw of 87.82 m. This was Pakistan’s first ever medal at the World athletic Championship He also secured qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics during the event.
2024 Paris League
In July 2024, Nadeem finished in fourth place in the Paris Diamond League with a 84.21m throw on his fifth attempt.
2024 Paris Olympics: Gold medal and Olympic record
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Nadeem became the first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any track and field event in Olympics history and to win an Olympic Gold Medal. He not only claimed the men’s javelin throw title but set a new Olympic record of 92.97 m in the final.
The previous Olympic record holder was Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen, who achieved 90.57 m at the 2008 Beijing Olympic. Nadeem’s throw is the sixth-longest throw ever. With this medal, Nadeem won an Olympic medal for Pakistan after 32 years, the last medal being won at the 1992 Olympic in Barcelona. It was also Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal at the Olympics since 1984.Prior to the 2024 Olympics, Nadeem was considered as an underdog by many critics.
His throw of 92.97 m was also confirmed by officials as the longest throw in the world by any male javelin thrower in the current season. He was only the fourth athlete to breach the 90 m mark in the javelin final in the history of Olympics, a feat he achieved twice, in his second and final throw.