On Thursday, the 27-year-old Nadeem, hailing from the village of Khanewal in Punjab, proved the decision to be a wise one.
He delivered a stunning performance, throwing the javelin an incredible distance of 92.97m, shattering the previous Olympic record of 90.57m.
This remarkable feat not only secured Pakistan’s first individual gold medal at the Olympics but also established Nadeem as a dominant force in the field, which included his close friend and fierce competitor from India, Neeraj Chopra.
Chopra, the defending champion, had to settle for a silver medal despite his season’s best throw of 89.45m.
The 26-year-old Indian athlete has yet to surpass the 90m mark in his career, a fact that seems to be weighing on his mind during competitions.
In contrast to Nadeem’s financial struggles, Chopra is one of the most well-supported athletes in the field. Nadeem, standing tall at 6’3″, has come a long way from the days when he couldn’t even afford to buy a javelin for himself.
“People have no idea how Arshad got to this place today. How his fellow villagers and relatives used to donate money so that he could travel to other cities for his training and events in his early days,” his father Muhammad Ashraf told PTI after his qualification to the Olympics finals on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s contingent at the Paris Olympics consisted of seven athletes, but unfortunately, six of them were unable to advance to the finals in their respective disciplines.
However, there was a moment of joy and celebration at Nadeem’s residence immediately after he secured his spot in the finals, marking his second consecutive Olympic qualification.
“Pakistan Zindabad” chants echoed through the house as his parents, siblings, wife, two children, and fellow villagers expressed their elation. To share the happiness, Nadeem’s parents also distributed sweets among those present.
“If my son can bring home an Olympic medal for Pakistan it would be the proudest moment for us and everyone in this village,” his father had said.
