Arshad Nadeem, a Pakistani javelin thrower, was born on January 2, 19971. Arshad Nadeem, He currently holds the title of Olympic champion in the Men’s javelin throw, having achieved an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters during the 2024 Summer Olympics. Nadeem is a two-time Olympian and notably the first athlete from Pakistan to reach the finals in any track and field event at both the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships.

During the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he established a new national record and Commonwealth Games record with a throw of 90.18 meters, making him the first athlete from South Asia to surpass the 90-meter threshold. In 2023, he made history by becoming the first Pakistani to earn a medal at the World Athletics Championships, securing a silver medal. He competes for WAPDA in domestic events. At the 2024 Olympics, he not only won the gold medal but also set a new Olympic record.

Early Life and Athletic Beginnings

• Arshad Nadeem was born into a Punjabi family in Mian Channu, Punjab, Pakistan, as the third of eight siblings. From a young age, he demonstrated remarkable athletic versatility, engaging in various sports offered at his school, including cricket, badminton, football, and athletics.
• However, cricket emerged as his primary passion, leading him to participate in district-level tape-ball tournaments.
• During a seventh-grade athletics competition, he attracted the attention of Rasheed Ahmad Saqi, a coach known for nurturing athletic talent in the region, who subsequently mentored him.
• Arshad also competed in shot put and discus throw. His achievements, including gold medals in javelin throw at consecutive Punjab Youth Festivals and an inter-board meet,
• Elevated him to the national level, garnering interest from prominent domestic athletics teams such as the Army, Air Force, and WAPDA. Ultimately, it was his father, Muhammad Ashraf, who encouraged him to specialize in javelin throw.

Career Beginnings and Early Success (2015-2017)

• Arshad Nadeem commenced his javelin throw career in 2015. By 2016, he had secured a scholarship from World Athletics, enabling him to train at the IAAF High Performance Training Centre located in Mauritius.
• In February of that year, he earned a bronze medal at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, India, where he not only set a national record but also achieved a personal best throw of 78.33 metres.

 

• In June 2016, Nadeem continued to excel by winning another bronze medal at the 17th Asian Junior Athletics Championship in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

• The following year, in May 2017, he claimed a bronze medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, with a notable throw of 76.33 metres.

 

Rise in Performance and International Recognition (2018-2019)

 

• In April 2018, he improved his personal best to 80.45 metres during the qualification round of the javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, where he ultimately finished in eighth place. Unfortunately, he also suffered a back injury after the Commonwealth Games concluded.

 

• In August 2018, Nadeem achieved a significant milestone by winning a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he set a new personal best and national record of 80.75 metres.

 

• As the sole representative from Pakistan at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, he surpassed his previous records by achieving a personal best and national record throw of 81.52 metres.

 

• Later that year, in November, he set another national record with an impressive throw of 83.65 metres, securing a gold medal for WAPDA at the 33rd National Games in Peshawar.

 

• In December 2019, he further distinguished himself by winning a gold medal with a record throw of 86.29 metres at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal.

 

2023 National Games of Pakistan and Knee Injury

In 2023, Nadeem participated in the National Games of Pakistan, where he achieved a gold medal in the javelin throw event. Unfortunately, he sustained a knee injury that prevented him from competing in the Asian Athletics Championships. Akram Sahi, the president of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), attributed the injury to WAPDA’s insistence on Nadeem’s participation in the National Games.

Success at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and 2024 Olympic Qualification

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Nadeem earned a silver medal with a throw of 87.82 meters, marking Pakistan’s inaugural medal at this prestigious event. Additionally, he qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where he ultimately secured victory with an Olympic record.

Historic Victory at the 2024 Summer Olympics

 

In July 2024, Nadeem placed fourth in the Paris Diamond League, achieving a throw of 84.21 meters on his fifth attempt.

 

During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Nadeem made history by becoming the first Pakistani to win an individual Olympic gold medal in the men’s javelin event, setting a new Olympic record of 92.97 meters. This surpassed the previous record of 90.57 meters held by Norwegian athlete Andreas Thorkildsen from the Beijing Olympics. Nadeem’s throw is recorded as the sixth longest in history.

Personal Life

Arshad Nadeem is married and has two children, a son and a daughter. He practices Islam devoutly and describes himself as an introvert, preferring solitude and having a limited circle of friends. His coach, Salman Iqbal Butt, a former national-level discus thrower, has praised Nadeem as a respectful and obedient athlete, noting his calm demeanor and unwavering focus. “He is Zen-like. He is quiet. He is focused, and no matter the setback, he does not let it linger. This is one of the most incredible things about Nadeem, and you cannot really teach it either,” his coach remarked.medal at the 17th edition in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.