After his second attempt went as far as 92.97m, Nadeem, a silver medallist from the last World Athletics Championships in Budapest where Neeraj was crowned champion, went down on his knees covering his face with his palms in disbelief.
It was enough to win a historic gold for Pakistan, while Neeraj’s season-best mark of 89.45m earned him a silver medal. The bronze went to Grenada’s Anderson Peters, whose best throw travelled a distance of 88.54m.
When Nadeem came on the runway for his sixth and final attempt, his gold had been confirmed. But he was perhaps attempting to break the Olympic record he had set with his second attempt. And he came very close to doing it, sending the javelin as far as 91.79m.
As emotions took over Nadeem at the conclusion of the final, he broke down while hugging his coach and team members seated in the stand behind the runway track for the javelin event.
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There were celebrations in Pakistan, led by some of the country’s top cricketers who gathered to watch the javelin final together.
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This is Pakistan’s first gold medal at the Olympics in 40 years, since their hockey team finished on top in 1984.
Nadeem’s medal is also the first for Pakistan at the Olympics since 1992 and the first ever in track and field.
