National leaders, cricketers, celebrities and people on social media on Monday showered praise on athlete Arshad Nadeem for winning the gold medal in the javelin throw event of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham despite all odds and setting a new record for the country.

The athlete from Mian Channu, Khanewal was competing without his coach and had an elbow injury.

‘What an amazing news to wake up’

“What an amazing news to wake up to early this morning! Arshad Nadeem has done Pakistan proud by winning the first gold medal in Commonwealth Games,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.

Nadeem had directly qualified for the finals at the event.

The premier was of the view that the athlete’s consistency, passion and hard work hold lessons for the youth. “Congratulations Arshad on your brilliant achievement.”

‘Nation is proud of you’

“Congratulations Arshad Nadeem on making history in javelin throw and winning Gold Medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” President Arif Alvi said in a statement. “Nation is proud of you.”

‘Pride of nation’

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa described Nadeem as the pride of the nation and a national hero, the armed forces media wing said in a tweet.

The COAS congratulated the 25-year-old athlete for creating history with his exceptional performance in the CWG, setting a new record.

Journalist Khurram Hussain shared the clip where the national anthem was played when Nadeem took the podium for the first position.

“The first javelin gold for Pakistan since 1954! so proud,” Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said.

Former cricketer Sana Mir also congratulated the athlete.

Singer Ali Zafar had shared an old clip on Twitter where he demanded of Nadeem to become the top javelin thrower.