In a monumental moment that rewrote the history of sports Pakistan Arshad Nadeem shatter Olympic Javelin record and also ended a 76-year drought for his country. As the fifth most populous nation in the world, Pakistan had never seen an athlete stand atop the podium at the Olympics—until Nadeem’s remarkable performance in the men’s javelin final at the Paris 2024 Games.
Entering the final as an underdog, Arshad Nadeem who was also the nation’s flagbearer, delivered an astonishing throw of 92.97 meters on his second attempt. This throw not only marked the longest distance achieved in the competition this year but also set a new Olympic record, surpassing Andreas Thorkildsen’s 2008 mark of 90.57 meters by more than two meters. Nadeem’s final throw, measuring 91.79 meters, further cemented his dominance, as it would have secured gold in any previous Olympic Games.
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His victory sparked widespread celebrations across Pakistan, a country that had previously only seen Olympic gold in men’s hockey. Until Nadeem’s historic achievement, the nation’s only individual Olympic medals were bronze, earned by Muhammad Bashir in wrestling in 1960 and Hussain Shah in boxing in 1988.
Nadeem’s victory also ended a 28-year medal drought for Pakistan, which had not seen a podium finish since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Defending Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India, who had aimed to break the 90-meter barrier in Paris, secured the silver medal with a throw of 89.45 meters. Grenada’s Anderson Peters rounded out the podium, claiming bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters.
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Arshad Nadeem’s triumph is a watershed moment for Pakistani sports, providing inspiration and a sense of national pride. His achievement not only secured a place in Olympic history but also opened a new chapter for Pakistan, proving that with determination and skill, even the longest-standing records can be shattered.
