Arshad Nadeem eyes gold at World Championship after long layoff

• Arshad Nadeem is preparing for the World Championship in Hungary.
• He is confident of doing well and hopes to win a medal.
• He has been training hard and is in good spirits.

Arshad Nadeem, the top javelin thrower from Pakistan and the winner of both the Islamic Games and the Commonwealth Games, appeared extremely focused on Friday in preparation for his key performance at the World Championship in Hungary.

In the wee hours of August 20 (Saturday night), Arshad and his coach Salman Butt will fly to Hungary to compete in the tournament. The qualifying round for the javelin throw will take place on August 25, while the final will happen on August 27.

Arshad, an Olympian, will participate in the World Championship for the third time.

Friday, right before his training session at the Punjab Stadium, the assured-looking Arshad spoke with this reporter and said that he felt well and was hoping things would work out.

“I am feeling well and InshaAllah will try to achieve the desired result,” Arshad told the media.

He claimed that if he can make his best throw, he can win gold in Hungary. “If I am able to achieve my personal best throw then it may get a gold InshaAllah,” Arshad said.

Asrahd is also pleased with the way Salman Butt, his coach at the PSB Coaching Center in Lahore, and the center’s administration treated him.

“I have been looked after well here,” Arshad said.

This will be Arshad’s first international competition after a lengthy year.

But Arshad said he is used to it. “I also featured in the World Championship in the US last year after a long gap of one year. I hope I will deliver in Hungary and nation should pray for me,” Arshad said.

Arshad gained widespread recognition after his remarkable fifth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics, an accomplishment that brought about significant changes in the athlete’s life. This achievement not only granted him fame and financial success but also led to a transformation in his character.

Subsequently, Arshad secured another fifth-place finish at the World Championship in the United States last year. Shortly after, he achieved his personal best throw of 90.18 meters at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, setting a record for the event held every four years.

Following this, he underwent surgical procedures on his elbow and left knee in London. He dedicated time to his rehabilitation and made his comeback to the competitive field in May during the 34th National Games in Quetta.

Although he couldn’t demonstrate his peak physical condition in that event, he managed to secure a gold medal for his department, WAPDA. During this competition, he suffered a significant setback when he injured his right knee, ultimately leading him to opt out of the recent Asian Championship held in Bangkok.

But today he appears to be in good health. Arshad declared, “I don’t feel any pain and am fine.” In the meantime, Arshad’s coach Salman Butt informed the media that he is in good spirits before the big event.

“He is in good spirits,” Butt said. “Yes one disadvantage is that he is playing in international circuit after one year but I hope he will make his top effort and as far as medal is concerned it depends on luck,” Butt said.

“We have worked extremely hard as we train for around two and a half hours daily,” Butt said.

“He has achieved top fitness and his conditioning is quite good and he is ready for the task,” Butt said. In order to be ready for the World Championship, Arshad has trained locally at the Punjab Stadium and the University of Punjab.

Arshad has been practicing with a single javelin, a gift from former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa following his fifth-place finish in the Tokyo Olympics.

However, he has decided not to bring this javelin with him to Hungary in order to avoid additional expenses for the federation.

The upcoming World Championship in Hungary will serve as a significant challenge for Arshad as he needs to demonstrate his physical readiness and competitive form.

Following this event, he remains Pakistan’s solitary hope for a medal in the Asian Games, scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 8.

Butt stated that once the World Championship concludes, they will resume their training at the Punjab Stadium in preparation for the Asian Games.

The upcoming months are packed with commitments for Arshad, as he is also set to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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