Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan shattered the Olympic javelin record with an extraordinary throw of 92.97 meters at the Stade de France, securing victory in a historic night for his country. This monumental achievement not only earned him Pakistan’s first Olympic medal in 32 years but also their first-ever gold in track and field.
Nadeem broke the previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters, set by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen in the 2008 Games, by more than two meters. His 92.97-meter throw left the competition far behind, effectively guaranteeing him the gold medal.
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India’s Neeraj Chopra, the silver medalist, trailed Nadeem by three-and-a-half meters with a throw of 89.45 meters. Nadeem, who had previously won gold at the Commonwealth Games two years ago with a throw exceeding 90 meters, had seen his form dip since that summer. However, tonight, his focus and determination paid off spectacularly.
As he began his run, Nadeem’s concentration was palpable. The crowd held its breath as the javelin soared through the air at 70 mph, and when it landed well beyond the 90-meter mark, the stadium erupted in cheers. Nadeem celebrated with arms outstretched, then buried his face in his hands as the enormity of his achievement sank in. His coach applauded him enthusiastically as the crowd showered him with praise.
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This victory marked Pakistan’s first Olympic gold since the men’s field hockey team won in Los Angeles in 1984 and their first medal of any kind since a bronze in the same event at the Barcelona Games eight years later. It was also Pakistan’s first gold medal in an event outside of field hockey, with previous bronzes coming in welterweight wrestling and middleweight boxing.
Although Nadeem’s throw fell short of the world record, it ranks as the sixth-longest in history. The 27-year-old, who had claimed silver at the 2023 World Championships, surpassed expectations tonight in Paris, delivering a performance that will be remembered for years to come. Despite an initial setback with a disqualified opening throw, Nadeem’s record-breaking effort left his competitors, including Chopra, unable to catch up, turning the rest of the event into a formality.