Arshad Nadeem is all set for the Paris Olympics Javelin Throw final as he will take on defending champion Neeraj Chopra, Germany's Julian Weber, Greneda's Anderson Peters, and Jakob Vadlejch for the battle on the podium at Stade de France later tonight.
Speaking exclusively to this correspondent, he said that he was happy with his qualification performance as it was his second competition where he managed to throw beyond the 86 metres mark.
Nadeem is hopeful of a strong showing, despite facing significant challenges this season, including a recent injury.
"Yes, absolutely. I also threw over 86 metres on my first attempt during the Commonwealth Games, Alhamdulillah," Nadeem said. "This is the second time my first throw has gone over 86 metres. So, Alhamdulillah, I am very hopeful that I will perform well in the final, Inshallah."
Speaking about the difference in the conditions of the qualification round which was in the afternoon and now the final in the night, he said he will be able to adapt easily.
"Yes, we trained in the morning and in the evening. In Pakistan, it was very hot, but here the weather changes—sometimes it rains, sometimes it’s hot. We’ll see how it goes, Inshallah," he said. "The mindset is the same—I'm hopeful, and Alhamdulillah, I qualified with my first throw. I’ll do my best in the final, Inshallah."
He added that his mindset for the final is to win the medal, a medal he has been dreaming of all his life.
In the interview, Nadeem's coach, Salman Iqbal Butt, discussed the difficulties faced due to the extreme weather and injury. "We were training in a hot and humid climate, and it was very challenging. The extreme weather caused excessive sweating and other difficulties, which was our biggest challenge in training," the coach explained.
He also detailed the impact of Nadeem's injury, which required surgery earlier this year. "Unfortunately, Arshad suffered an injury that required surgery in January, followed by ten weeks of rehabilitation. This delayed our season, and we couldn't travel to Finland, which set us back by a month. The first competition we participated in was during his recovery, which was tough, but his performance was satisfactory."
Butt praised Nadeem's resilience and mental strength. "Obviously, Arshad is a very strong individual, mashallah. He’s a seasoned athlete with excellent competition temperament. He is religious and disciplined, and I continuously reinforce his strengths. We always pray to Allah for strength and courage, and we hope He grants us the ability to overcome these challenges."
Acknowledging Pakistan's long wait for an Olympic medal, the coach expressed hope for success. "Yes, it’s a very long spell, but such moments come in life. We pray to Allah to give Arshad and the entire team the strength to carry this burden and succeed."
Nadeem is set to participate in the final round of the Men’s Javelin Throw competition at the Paris Olympics 2024 tonight.
The event is scheduled to begin at 11:25pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
Arshad Nadeem qualified for the final of the Olympic javelin throw with an impressive first attempt of 86.59 metres at Stade de France on Tuesday afternoon.
If Arshad succeeds in his quest for an Olympic medal, he will become the first Pakistani to win an Olympic medal for the country in the track and field events and also to bring any medal at all since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
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