Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem aced the men's javelin final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. According to BBC, his second throw set a staggering record of 92.97 metres, trumping competitor Neeraj Chopra of India and securing for Pakistan its first gold medal at the Olympics in decades. Arshad's victory generated a resounding response from his sports peers, showbiz enthusiasts, and the local populace.
Mere hours before the athlete was set to step on his stage, many celebrities took the initiative to wish him well. Among these artists were television and film actor Mehwish Hayat and senior actor Sajid Hasan, who represented the nation's pride in their video essays to Arshad, commending him for making it thus far.
Their faith in the 27-year-old proved fruitful after the world witnessed Arshad's remarkable win at the games. Much like the mentioned celebrities, others took to social media to express their overflowing delight.
Showbiz responds in pride
On Instagram Stories, Pakeeza actor Adnan Siddiqui shared, "An incredible triumph for Pakistan! [Arshad Nadeem], you have made us immensely proud and ended our long drawn wait. Phenomenal!" In his next Story, Adnan highlighted the achievements of both gold and silver medalists, commenting, "Proud moment for South Asia!"
Similarly, Parizaad actor Yumna Zaidi shared, "Proud moment for Pakistan, congratulations for setting up a new record in Olympic games Paris 2024. What a great achievement." Further, actor and producer Faysal Qureshi uploaded a video clip of the event, stating, "This is his best ever."
Other celebrities, such as actor Ahad Raza Mir, singer-songwriter Hadiqa Kiani, and actor Ayeza Khan conveyed their joy in shorter words, whereas some of their peers weren't as modest with their words.
"Won gold medal with an Olympic record. Bravo," enthused Ayeza's own husband and actor Danish Taimoor, uploading a photograph of the final results on his Instagram Stories.
"Gold medal in Olympics after 32 years in Pakistan. History made," emphasised Mom star Sajal Ali in capitals and emojis.
Suno Chanda actor Iqra Aziz also took to Instagram Stories to relay a sentiment in Urdu, which roughly translates to: "You have not only raised your mother's head with pride, but the entirety of Pakistan's as well." Another actor who employed romanised Urdu to express his glee was Fahad Mustafa, who said, "Every Pakistani is grateful to you."
Film and television actor Mahira Khan also responded to the news in immense joy, "What a throw, breaking records! Yes sir! Hero, [Arshad Nadeem]."
Comedian Ahmad Ali Butt said, "What a performance. Give this man a brand new house, brand deals, sports academy, and more because he proved he's the best."
This sentiment was reshared by Ahmad's fellow actor, Humayun Saeed, who also shared words of his own in a grid post. "Congratulations #ArshadNadeem! It's indeed your passion & hard work that's made this possible. We are all so incredibly proud of you for not just bringing home gold but for breaking records. Maza aa gaya! (It was fun!) Pakistan Zindabad," the actor wrote.
Sportsman spirit burns bright
Praises for Arshad and his victory are not limited to the showbiz side. Various cricketers took to X to congratulate their fellow sportsman.
Former cricketer Wasim Akram said, "Incredible achievement #ArshadNadeem you've broken the drought and made Pakistan proud. 92.97m will be etched in history forever. Congratulations on this monumental feat."
"After 30 long years, the gold is back in Pakistan!" rejoiced Babar Azam, captain of the national cricket team for Pakistan. "Huge congratulations to [Arshad Nadeem] for this incredible achievement. You've made the nation proud."
Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan said, "This is perhaps the biggest individual achievement by a Pakistani athlete. The entire nation is proud of #ArshadNadeem. Thank you for representing our country the way you have, thank you for bringing hope. Champion of champions."
Batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed added, "[Arshad Nadeem], you've made us proud by winning not only a Gold medal but also our first Olympic medal in 32 years and that too with a record breaking throw. You've shown the world what we're capable of."
Bowler Naseem Shah also did not fall behind on commending the athlete. "It was worth staying up late to watch [Arshad Nadeem] win gold with an Olympic record... 92.97! You've made history as the first individual athlete from Pakistan to win gold. Every Pakistani is proud of you, inspiring the next generation."
Enthusiasts emerge
Aside from these famed onscreen stars, several netizens communicated their pride over the athlete's victory on X. One user observed, "From humble beginnings to Olympic glory! Arshad Nadeem, a true fighter from a poor family, shatters records and stereotypes! His determination and resilience inspire a nation! Proud of you, Arshad Nadeem."
Another user remarked, "His name is Arshad Nadeem. His throw is liberation, it is hope. He did it, he did it himself, this belongs to him and we as a country should cherish him. He didn't just win, he broke the record. The Olympic record belongs to a Pakistani."
"This is one of the greatest days in Pakistan's history and we are not talking about only sports," wrote another user. "Arshad Nadeem has won the first ever individual gold in the Olympics for Pakistan." Attached to the post was a picture of the athlete prostrating in religious gratitude.
While heartwarming content swarmed the internet in the wake of Arshad's win, some people even expressed their delight through memes. One user likened the 27-year-old's throw to a scene in popular fantasy television series Game Of Thrones. Others made hilarious public requests to be thrown to different countries, owing to the impressive feat accomplished by Arshad.
The history that this community-funded upstart has made will be discussed, at least on a national level, for ages to come.
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