Pakistan’s javelin sensation Arshad Nadeem once again carved his name into sporting history by capturing the gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships with a commanding display in the final held on Saturday.
Showing the calm confidence of a true champion, Arshad took an early lead and never relinquished it. His third throw reached an impressive 85.57 meters, immediately putting him ahead of the field. He followed that with another powerful effort of 83.99 meters in the fourth round, reinforcing his position at the top.
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However, it was his fifth attempt that sealed the victory — a phenomenal throw of 86.40 meters that left the competition in the dust. No other athlete could match his power or precision as Arshad stood proudly atop the podium, delivering Pakistan its first gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships in over 50 years. The achievement is steeped in historical significance, as Arshad becomes the first Pakistani to win gold at the event since 1973, when Allah Ditta (javelin) and Muhammad Younis (800m) triumphed in the Philippines.
India’s Sachin Yadav claimed silver with a strong throw of 85.16 meters, while Japan’s Sakiyama secured bronze with a best of 83.75 meters. Pakistan’s other finalist, Yasir Sultan, finished in eighth place, unable to break into medal contention.
Arshad’s journey to the final was marked by brilliance. In the Group A qualifiers, he made an emphatic start, launching a massive 86.34-meter throw on his first attempt — a clear signal of his dominance and intent.
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This marked Arshad’s first major appearance since his groundbreaking gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he stunned the world with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters. That historic feat made him Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist in athletics and the only individual Olympic gold medalist in the nation’s history.