BIRMINGHAM: Athlete Arshad Nadeem set a new record for Pakistan in the javelin throw event of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham Sunday, despite an injury.
“He earns Pakistan their first track and field Gold after 60 years, setting precedence with a new Games record,” said the Commonwealth Sport in a tweet.
He won gold in the final with a record throw of 90.18 meters in the fifth over, increasing the country’s medal standing that reached eight after wrestlers won big at the tournament. This is Pakistan’s best performance in the Commonwealth Games since 1970. Arshad Nadeem also became the first South Asian to accomplish this. Taiwan’s Cheng Chao-tsun threw 91.36 meters in 2017.
Nadeem thanked God and said his success was possible because of his parents. He said he thanked the people of Pakistan who had prayed for him. “I was very hopeful of winning the gold medal,” he said. “And I dedicate it to my Pakistani nation.” The next goal is the Olympics.
“When I did an 88m, and [the previous record-breaker] had 93m, then I started to realise that perhaps I can do a 90m,” he told Aaj News.
Congratulations poured in from across Pakistan, with 90.18m trending on Twitter. Babar Azam wrote: Your body was injured but your resolve was higher than the Himalayas. Salute to you my brother for bringing another gold for Pakistan.
Jism toota howa tha per himmat Himalaya se bhi buland thi.
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) August 7, 2022
Salute to you my brother #ArshadNadeem for bringing another gold for Pakistan in #CommonwealthGames2022.
You made the nation proud. 🌟🏆🙌#PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/sJ0jQGOqnY
This has brought Pakistan’s total victories at the games to 8 medals (two gold, three silver and three bronze).
Wrestler Mohammad Sharif Tahir bagged a silver medal on Saturday in the 74kg category final after getting lost to arch-rivals India on a score of 9-0 at the Coventry Arena Saturday. His team-mate Ali Asad had picked up bronze by swatting New Zealand’s Suraj Singh 11-0 in the 57kg competition.
Ali had earlier lost to cross-border rival Ravi Kumar and India’s domination of Pakistan in the ring was extended later in the evening when Tayyab Raza lost his 97kg bronze medal match 2-10 to Deepak Nehra.
The Pakistan trio had all advanced to the semi-finals in their respective categories but only Sharif was able to go through to the final. Like their compatriots Inam Butt and Zaman Anwar, they got off to a flying start in their respective categories of wrestling.
In the men’s freestyle 74kg division, Tahir overpowered Vake of Tonga 11-0 to march into the quarterfinal. He beat Canada’s Jasmit Singh Phulka to book the semifinal berth.
In the men’s freestyle 57kg division, promising pugilist Ali had defeated England’s Harvey Ridings 10-0 in just one minute and 15 seconds to move to the quarterfinal. He beat Namibia’s Romio Ricardo Goliath to reach the semifinals.
Raza outwitted Rashji Mackey of Bahamas, amassing 10 technical points, to reach the quarterfinal in the men’s freestyle 97kg category. As the commentator said, Raza also outnumbered Scotland’s Cameron Nicol in the quarterfinal.
Earlier, on Friday, Butt (86kg) and Zaman (125kg) won silver medals, while Inayatullah claimed bronze in the 67kg division of the men’s freestyle wrestling event. Pakistan’s only gold medal at the Games so far has been won by weightlifter Nooh Dastagir Butt.
Pakistan’s wait for a first track and field medal at the Games since 1966 continued after Shajar Abbas finished last in the men’s 200m final at the Alexander Stadium on Saturday night. Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards defended his title in a Games record time of 19.80 seconds. Shajar’s time was 21.16 seconds.
(With input from agencies)
