Arshad qualifies for javelin final

PARIS:

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem qualified for the final of the Olympics Javelin Throw finals with an impressive first attempt of 86.59m at Stade de France on Tuesday afternoon.

Arshad joined India’s Neeraj Chopra (who threw the best throw of the qualification till filing this report, 89.34 m) to become the second thrower from Group B to qualify for the final automatically.

Grenada’s Peter Anderson throw 88.63m in his first attempt too.

The athletes who throw 84m or more are to qualify automatically, or the 12 best will be in the final scheduled for August 8.

Germany’s Julian Weber (87.76m), Kenya’s Julius Yego (85.97), Czrch Jakub Vadlejch and Finland’s Toni Keranen (85.27m) qualifed from Group A.

Arshad had been coming into the competition a little more than a month after his appearance at his first-ever Diamond League meet in Paris last month.

There he threw 84.21m but did not finish on the podium.

Arshad had told this correspondent earlier this year that he aims to break the 32-year-old drought of Olympic medals for Pakistan.

The last time it was won in the Barcelona Games by the hockey team.

Arshad trained in Lahore for the most part and briefly went to South Africa to train with world-renowned Terseus Leibenberg.

The event is still taking place with most athletes taking the second round of attempts.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan sent a total of seven athletes and six of them have been out of their respective events. The 27-year-old is Pakistan’s last and biggest hope for a medal in the Olympics.

Remember, Nadeem won a silver medal at the World Championship last year meanwhile in the Commonwealth Games 2022, he won the gold medal, becoming the first Pakistani athlete since 1962 to win gold at the competition, with a massive throw that covered 90.18m distance.

Saved best for final

“89.34 ya 89.32,” defending champion Neeraj Chopra humbly asks to confirm what his throw was during a media interaction in the mixed zone after the Paris Olympics javelin throw qualification concluded at Stade de France on Tuesday.

When asked by this correspondent what was going through his mind at the time of his first throw which also turned out to be the best one in the qualification round, he said: “Before the throw, I was thinking that if I can achieve the target in the first throw it’ll be ideal,”

“I can return, do some stretching, and start preparing for the final. And after the throw, I was very happy that it went so well, and now we are ready for the final, “ Neeraj told this correspondent.

The brilliant Indian athlete was in the qualification round of Group B with Arshad Nadeem.

Arshad also followed Neeraj when he posted 86.59m in his first attempt as well, which was also his season best.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters showed his prowess too with an 88.63m throw and automatically qualified as well in his first attempt.

Germany’s Julian Weber’s throw of 87.76m was the fourth-best in the qualification round.

The top 12 performers progressed into the final, while any athlete with an 84.00 metre throws qualified automatically.

“The final is still to come, the more I rest the better,” Neeraj said as he entered the mixed zone. “

“A completely different mindset will be there in the final. This was the qualification and the goal was to qualify. This was the qualification, but the real deal is the final,” said Neeraj.

“The best throw is saved for the final, it’ll be a healthy, tough competition.”

When asked who he thinks will be his top competition, he praised every athlete who qualified automatically.