Arshad won the javelin throw final at the Alexander Stadium with a monster 90.18-metre throw, bringing Pakistan’s first athletics medal at the Commonwealth Games since 1966 and the first javelin gold for the country.
By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem scripted history as he created a new Commonwealth Games record and became the first ever Pakistani to breach the famed 90 meters mark on the way to the gold medal on Sunday night.
Arshad won the javelin throw final at the Alexander Stadium with a monster 90.18-metre throw, bringing Pakistan’s first athletics medal at the Games since 1966 and a first javelin gold for the country.
Arshad beat the likes of Anderson Peters, Julius Yego and Keshorn Walcott with the record-breaking historic throw. Even Anderson Peters was shocked by that colossal effort despite Arshad having pain in his elbow.
Arshad is the second Asian to cross the 90m mark after Chinese Tapei’s Chao-Tsun (91.36m). He is the fourth javelin thrower in recent years to breach the 90m mark after Johannes Vetter, Anderson Peters and Jakub Vadlejch.
He also broke the Games record of 88.75m by South African Marius Corbett which stood since 1998.
On an evening when he improved on his best thrice, Arshad’s first effort was 86.61 metres.
He was setting the distance to beat for the rest of the field and it was a question of whether it would be enough for gold.
A foul on his second attempt didn’t matter as Arshad improved his personal best again with a throw of exactly 88 metres.
Each effort, however, ended with Arshad grimacing in pain, the 25-year-old immediately reaching out to feel his right elbow, which he’s been nursing after last year’s Tokyo Olympics where he finished fifth. He finished at the same place at last month’s world championships. But in the lead halfway through the final, he could still afford a smile.
Arshad’s fourth throw landed just beyond the 85-metre mark but with two rounds remaining, he was still in the lead.
It was in the penultimate round, when Arshad finally trailed — Peters launching the javelin to 88.64 metres. Peters celebrated as if it was enough for gold but his joy was short-lived. This was Arshad’s gold to win and he immediately threw over the sport’s ‘holy grail’ mark of 90m.
Peters, who threw over 90 metres to win at the worlds in Oregon, tried with his final throw to overhaul Arshad but it wasn’t to be. He ended with silver with Kenya’s Yego picking up bronze with a best throw of 85.70m.
(Content courtesy news wires)
Pakistan erupts with joy
Twitter erupted after Arshad achieved the rare milestone and reacted with congratulatory messages and massive praises for the 25-year-old.
Here’s how they reacted:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
President Arif Alvi
Army chief General Qamer Javed Bajwa
The Commonwealth Games
Pakistan’s cricket team captain Babar Azam
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