The Bright Side

Arshad Nadeem: Pakistan’s First Individual Gold Medalist in Athletics at Paris Olympics 2024

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medalist in athletics, made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics. With an imposing frame standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall, Nadeem won the javelin throw title in style setting an Olympic record of 92.97 meters.

Arshad’s journey started with the 2016 South Asian Games where he achieved a bronze medal with a throw of 78.33 meters. He continued to impress at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing fifth with a throw of 84.62 meters while India’s Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal.

In subsequent competitions, Nadeem showcased his consistent improvement. He won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games with a throw of 90.18 meters, his career best at the time. At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, he won the silver medal with a throw of 87.82 meters.

Nadeem’s crowning achievement came at the Paris Olympics where he broke the 16-year-old record set by Thorkildsen with his throw of 92.97 meters. Despite undergoing knee surgery earlier in the year and practicing with a damaged javelin, Nadeem’s determination and skill prevailed putting Pakistan on the international map for track-and-field athletics.