Arshad fights through pain to strike gold in Konya

Pakistan javelin thrower rewrites record books again with 88.5-metre throw at Islamic Solidarity Games

KARACHI:

History-making javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem created another record as he hit 88.55m at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya.

Arshad made the record despite living through a very painful and longstanding elbow injury along with a soft tissue trauma in the knee that has been troubling him for the last few months.

The 25-year-old has made a huge leap from his last appearance at the Games in 2017. He had thrown 76.66m in the 2017 edition and produced event’s best in Turkey with gold-winning 88.55m feat.

Earlier he won the Commonwealth Games gold medal and created history at the sporting extravaganza by becoming the first South Asian to cross the 90m barrier. His spear landed at 90.18m.

Continuing in the same stream, Arshad made another record on Friday in Konya.

“It is not fine,” Arshad told The Express Tribune in a brief interaction before his event when asked about his pain. “It is hurting the same way still.”

Arshad had been treated regularly by the doctors for his injuries.

“My injury has not been better,” said Arshad. “It is still the same and hurts the same way as before [Commonwealth Games].”

When asked about the preparation, he added that it is also not going well. “There has not been any improvement since Commonwealth Games,” said Arshad.

Qatar’s Ahmed Bader Magour who won gold medal in 2017 finished with silver.

Arshad has been competing in the events without his coach. He first featured at the World Athletics Championships, then the Commonwealth Games and now the Islamic Games, all without his personal coaches. He trained in South Africa with Terseus Liebenberg for two months and then with Salman Butt in Lahore without proper gyms and facilities before embarking on his history-making international outings.