(AP/AFP Photo)
On August 8, Arshad Nadeem made history as the first Pakistani athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. The 27-year-old javelin thrower set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters on his second attempt, securing the top spot in the men’s javelin final at the Paris Olympics. Nadeem, who had finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, exceeded the 90-meter mark twice during the event, surpassing both India’s Neeraj Chopra and Grenada’s Anderson Peters.
Nadeem’s victory not only marked a milestone for Pakistani athletics but also ended a 32-year Olympic medal drought for the country. Pakistan’s last Olympic medal was won by the men’s hockey team at the 1992 Barcelona Games, where they claimed third place. Nadeem is the third Pakistani athlete to achieve an Olympic medal.
Arshad Nadeem’s historic victory in Paris has sparked celebrations among Pakistani fans worldwide. In recognition of the 27-year-old athlete’s remarkable achievement, star Pakistani batter and T20I captain Babar Azam expressed his congratulations on X (formerly Twitter). However, Babar’s post contained a factual error, which has led to him being trolled on social media.
In his viral tweet, Babar wrote, “After 30 long years, the gold is back in Pakistan! Huge congratulations to @arshadnadeem29 for this incredible achievement. You’ve made the entire nation proud.”
Babar Azam congratulated Arshad Nadeem for winning gold and bringing it back to Pakistan after 30 years. However, fans were quick to point out that Nadeem is actually the first Pakistani athlete to win an Olympic gold, so it couldn’t be a return after 30 years. Additionally, Babar mistakenly tagged the wrong account in his tweet.
While Pakistan has won three Olympic gold medals in the past, all in men’s hockey, their most recent title was in 1984, making it a 40-year gap since their last gold.
Prior to his gold medal win in Paris, Nadeem had achieved notable success with a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships.
