In a landmark moment for Pakistan, javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem clinched the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, setting a new Olympic record with a stunning throw of 92.97 meters. This historic achievement marks Pakistan’s first-ever individual gold medal in Olympic history and its first gold medal in any sport in the past 40 years.
Nadeem’s remarkable throw, which came on his second attempt in the final, surpassed the previous Olympic record held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, who set the mark at the 2008 Beijing Games.
This victory is especially significant as Pakistan had last won an Olympic medal in 1992 when the national hockey team secured bronze by defeating the Netherlands 4-3 at the Barcelona Olympics. The triumph also ends a 32-year medal drought for the country.
In the javelin throw final, India’s Neeraj Chopra, the defending champion, earned silver with a throw of 89.45 meters, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters took bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.
Final Javelin Throw Rankings:
- Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan) — 92.97 meters
- Neeraj Chopra (India) — 89.45 meters
- Anderson Peters (Grenada) — 88.54 meters
- Jakub Vadlejch (Czech Republic) — 88.50 meters
- Julius Yego (Kenya) — 87.72 meters
- Julian Weber (Germany) — 87.40 meters
- Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago) — 86.16 meters
- Lassi Etelatalo (Finland) — 84.58 meters
- Oliver Etelatalo (Finland) — 82.68 meters
- Toni Keränen (Finland) — 80.92 meters
- Luiz Mauricio (Brazil) — 80.67 meters
- Andrian Mardare (Moldova) — 80.10 meters
In a challenging turn of events, it was also noted that six of the seven athletes Pakistan sent to the Olympics faced disqualification from their respective events, making Nadeem’s gold even more remarkable.
Nadeem’s achievement not only highlights his exceptional skill and determination but also brings immense pride to Pakistan as it celebrates a significant milestone in its Olympic history.