From cricket dreams to Olympic glory: Arshad Nadeem shares journey

Before eventually transitioning to athletics., Arshad explored other sports, including football and kabaddi.

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s star athlete and Olympic gold medalist, recently shared insights into his journey from cricket to becoming the world’s top javelin thrower.

Arshad revealed that his initial passion was cricket, where he excelled as a bowler at the All-Punjab level. However, due to the challenges of progressing in cricket, he eventually had to abandon his dreams in the sport.

Following his departure from cricket, Arshad explored other sports, including football, where he played as a fullback, and kabaddi, before eventually transitioning to athletics.

He participated in various events, including shot put, discus throw, hammer throw, and multiple track and field events.

It was his coach, Rashid Ahmed Saqi, who recognized Arshad’s potential in javelin throw and advised him to focus solely on the sport, noting his strong physique suited for javelin. Taking his coach's advice, Arshad dedicated himself to javelin throw, quickly making a name for himself at the national level.

In 2015, Arshad joined WADA LESCO, and in 2016, he competed in his first international event alongside Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra in Guwahati, India, where he broke Pakistan’s national record with a throw of 78.33 meters. This marked the beginning of Arshad’s remarkable journey to becoming the world’s top javelin thrower, culminating in his historic Olympic gold medal victory.