Golden boy: Arshad Nadeem's world-class victory ignites celebrity praise

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan's javelin star, made history on Wednesday by setting a new Olympic record and clinching the first individual gold medal for Pakistan in 40 years.

Competing in Paris, the 27-year-old from Mian Channu secured his place in history with a remarkable 92.97-metre throw, surpassing the previous Olympic record held by Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen since the 2008 Beijing Games.

Following his victory, the Pakistani entertainment industry erupted in celebration, with celebrities flooding social media to express their admiration and pride.

Celebrity couple Hira and Mani shared their excitement, with Mani stating, "Pakistanis should start respecting sports and sportsmen," while saluting Arshad's incredible performance.

Popular host and actor Fahad Mustafa also joined in, congratulating Arshad and the nation, exclaiming, "Arshad Nadeem, God bless you. Pakistan Zindabad!"

Singer Faakhir Mehmood expressed his joy, saying, "Arshad has made my heart happy. We are so proud of you. Pakistan Zindabad."

On Instagram, Mahira Khan praised the athlete, writing, "What a throw! Breaking records, yes sir."

Actress Ushna Shah was visibly moved, sharing her emotions with her followers, and even joked about replacing Michael Jordan with Arshad Nadeem as her inspiration.

Sajal Aly celebrated the momentous achievement, noting, "Gold medal in Olympics after 32 years in Pakistan. History made."

Comedian Ahmad Ali Butt went a step further, calling for Arshad to be rewarded with "a brand new house, brand deals, sports academy, and more," even teasing the possibility of a biopic, hinting at actor Humayun Saeed taking the lead role.

The word "Champion" echoed across social media as countless other actors and celebrities praised Arshad Nadeem for his historic win, marking a proud moment for Pakistan on the global stage.

Singer and actor Ali Zafar announced a prize of Rs1million for Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, recognizing his historic achievement in the javelin throw at the Paris Olympics.

In an Instagram post, Zafar expressed his pride in all Pakistani athletes, highlighting his confidence in Arshad Nadeem's ability to make the nation proud. "A lot of excitement and conversation on Olympics. I am personally very proud of each and everyone of our athletes. One athlete in particular @arshadnadeem29, I am very confident he’s going to make us proud on the 6-8th during his competition at the Olympics," Zafar wrote.

He also praised a recent campaign by Ufone and PTCL that showcased Nadeem's struggles, calling it "beautifully done" and emphasizing the importance of national support for sportsmen.