Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s Olympic Gold Medalist, Prepares for Heroic Welcome
Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medalist, is set to return to Pakistan early Sunday morning. Nadeem will arrive from Istanbul in Lahore at 1 AM alongside Muhammad Akram Sahi, Chairman of South Asian Athletics.
A grand reception is in store for Nadeem, who broke Pakistan’s 32-year Olympic medal drought with his historic performance in Paris. His coach, Salman Butt, will return with him. The Athletics Federation of Pakistan and the Sports Board of Punjab are organizing celebratory events for the national hero.
Read: Arshad Nadeem’s Journey from Homemade Javelins to Olympic Gold
Officials recognized Nadeem’s monumental achievement at a medal ceremony in Champions Park near the Eiffel Tower. He achieved a new Olympic record with a javelin throw of 92.97 meters on his second attempt, surpassing the previous record held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In honour of his victory, the Punjab government awarded him Rs 100 million, and the Sindh government added Rs 50 million for his historic success at the Paris Olympics 2024.