LAHORE: Splendid achievement in the World Athletics Championship has motivated Pakistan’s premier javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and he now targets better results in the next year’s Paris Olympics.
He became the first Pakistani athlete to win a medal in the World Championship history.
“This silver medal means a lot to me and it motivates me to earn a better result at the Olympic Games. I will do everything I can in order to be the hero of Pakistan at the Olympics,” Arshad said after pulling off silver medal in the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday night. Arshad managed a decent throw of 87.82 metre to snare silver.
India’s Neeraj Chopra, who is also the Olympic champion, plugged the missing link in his career by taking gold in the World Championship as well with a throw of 88.17m which he managed in his second attempt after he fouled while attempting the first throw of what was an absorbing finale in front of the jam-packed venue.
“It's a really emotional day for me and my family and country,” Arshad said. “I am over the moon. I wanted to make my country proud. I was in very good shape and I was confident,” Arshad said.
Arshad was on his way back home from Hungary till filing of the story. He was scheduled to land here at the Allama Iqbal International Airport late Monday night. He was accompanied by his coach Salman Butt and the president of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) Major General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi.
The AFP was making arrangements to receive Arshad at the airport. Arshad also has to his credit golds in the Commonwealth Games and Islamic Games and bronze in the Asian Games.
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News