Arshad's silver at Worlds do Pakistan proud

The 27-year-old gave his season-best performance in the final to hurl his spear as far as 87.82m

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s genial giant  Arshad Nadeem became the first Pakistani to ever bag a World Athletics Championship medal when he hurled his spear at a distance of 87.82m to finish in second place on Sunday night in Budapest.

The 27-year-old gave his season-best performance in the final of the javelin throw event next to India’s Neeraj Chopra, who clinched the gold medal with a throw of 88.17m.

The two South Asian men dominated the competition, including world number one Czech Jakub Vadlejch taking third place courtesy of his best throw of 86.67m.

Germany’s Julian Weber surrendered to fourth place after a brave fight.

Before the final, Arshad said that he could see both Neeraj and him win at the championships.

The top 12 javelin throwers qualified for the final. It was also the first time that three Indian throwers were up for the medal places.

“I can only say that when we train in Pakistan, we always say that everything abroad is better, how can we ever compete with the players from these more developed countries,” Arshad had told The Express Tribune in his interview after the qualification round when asked how he feels about Chopra and him being the top athletes in a historically European sport.

“I can say that I know I have worked very hard, I have endured a lot of pain and trained even with injuries throughout, I know any ordinary athlete would have quit. I did it because I wanted to do well. I think I have been able to do this because I wanted to make a mark. It is all Allah’s blessing, I have this purpose, in my mind I know that I need to do this, something that no one else is doing. So, I think that is how I have gotten here. But we always used to think how these other countries are ahead of us, and that was because they are so much more developed in everything. But we did it.”

Before the final, Arshad said that he could see both Neeraj and him win at the championships.

“I think it is a good thing for the sport that we are doing well. We can both win, I want to wish all the best to Neeraj bhai,” said the Olympian.

In his own words, Arshad had not been feeling 100 percent fit, but he wanted to compete at the championships to book his place in the Paris Olympics.

He had trained in Lahore with coach Salman Butt. His results are also phenomenal given his opponents have so much more professional facilities, investment, and resources at their disposal in comparison to the legend hailing from Mian Chunnu.

He did that in the qualification round on Friday, with an impressive performance where he hit the highest mark with 86.79m to top Group A and progress to the final in the process.

The World Athletics Championship was Arshad’s first event in a year, while he spent his time recovering from the surgeries of his right elbow and left knee since last December but also sustained an injury in his right knee earlier this year.

“I am doing what I can to compete well, get the results. I am changing things around, but ideally, I would like to get hundred percent fit and then see where I need to really improve in my technique,” said the brilliant javelin thrower whose never-say-die spirit has been awe-inspiring to say the least.

Arshad started slow, much like his performance in the qualifying round, his first attempt being 74.80m, but then improved in the second with 82.81m to climb up the leaderboard to fifth place.

He needed to finish among the top eight throwers to continue the next three rounds after the third attempt.

Arshad showed his grit when his spear left his hands to fly away at a distance of 87.82m which made him smile and get into his rhythm. He was looking for a lot more charge in his fourth attempt touching 87.15m, although the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion was looking to break the 90m here as well.

The fifth attempt was flagged red, but Arshad remained in second place from his third attempt onwards, which proved to be enough to confirm his silver medal.

Arshad asked the crowd at the stadium for support, and they obliged.

The last two attempts were left for Neeraj and Arshad to fight for the gold medal.

 But the latter only managed to get 81.86m, after which he humbly signed off with a clap towards the spectators and prostrated on the track.

He momentarily looked a little dissatisfied on missing his chance at gold; but also content with all he had left on the track.

Meanwhile, Neeraj’s last attempt but his 88.17m had been his best to assure him of the top place.

Towards the end, Arshad and Neeraj were with thead held high and flags up.

Arshad was also one of the first competitors to congratulate Neeraj, with an audible, “Mubarak ho.”

 

Maturing as an athlete

Arshad has seemed more in control at the qualification but in the final, he was charged looking to be breaking the 90m barrier again like he did at the Commonwealth Games, he is feeling that his priority is to get fit first to gauge how much he has matured as an athlete.

 “I know I have matured as an athlete because I had to be patient throughout this time with injuries and surgeries and more injuries, but I am looking forward to getting better and focusing on that,” said Arshad.

Arshad had to train carefully as well. While explaining about his full set of exercises he said he does almost all the athletic disciplines apart from running, weight training, and technique work.

“Actually, I can do almost all the athletic games, eight to nine of them, and I used to play football on the district level too, I think I was good, if not great. Everyone knows about my short cricket career, but I was actually playing kabaddi even, a little bit of badminton, basketball, table tennis, so I had been always inclined towards sports,” said Arshad, he explained that he counters the pressure of expectations with confidence that he can achieve a goal if he works hard on his skills.