Pakistan’s pride and joy, Javelin Thrower Arshad Nadeem, expressed his excitement for the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony as he made his way to the venue on Friday.
“Alhamdulillah, the preparations are going very well,” Arshad told The Express Tribune. “The training has been going very well too. I am feeling very good about everything. Everything is going smoothly. Since I’ve come here, we have been training properly, so far we’ve done two-hour sessions.”
Read more: Flotilla on Seine, rain and Celine Dion mark start of Paris Olympics
Other athletes, including sprinter Faiqa Riaz, swimmers Muhammad Ahmed Durrani and Jehanara Nabi, and shooters Kishmala Talat, Ghulam Muhammad Bashir, and Gulfam Joseph, are also set for the ceremony. The shooters will compete in the 25-meter Rapid Fire Pistol, 10-meter Air Pistol, and 10-meter Air Pistol Mixed Team events, while Faiqa will participate in the 100-meter athletics event.
According to Pakistan’s Chef de Mission Muhammad Shafiq, the athletes will don white shalwar kameez with green waistcoats and black shoes. “We are all ready, we will be representing Pakistan in the best way we can,” said Shafiq, who was among the first to arrive in Paris on July 18. He attended initial meetings to set up the contingent as others began to arrive.
In Paris, just hours before the Olympic Opening Ceremony, an arson attack disrupted France’s high-speed rail network, affecting travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers. However, Shafiq reassured that everyone feels safe. “There is a sense of safety, and we are all doing well,” he said, requesting supporters to pray for the team’s performances.
Read more: Iran behind French rail sabotage ahead of Olympics – Israel
Lt Col (R) Ahmed Ali Khan of the Pakistan Swimming Federation (PSF), who is also part of the contingent, praised the facilities in Paris. “It has been an amazing experience in Paris so far, with great facilities,” said Khan. “Our heats are in the morning sessions, so we are undergoing training during the morning. We reached the competition venue where we have two international-standard swimming pools. We go there after breakfast around 8 am,” he shared.
Khan added that both swimmers are training and resting well, aiming to improve their personal bests. “Both Durrani and Nabi have qualified on the universality quota and are here because they are the best swimmers in the country,” he said. The swimmers will participate in the 200-meter freestyle on July 28.
About Jehanara, who will also be a flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony, Khan highlighted her dedication. The 18-year-old has been on the International Olympic Committee’s scholarship for the last two years, secured through the Pakistan Olympic Association by the PSF. She has been the leading female swimmer in the country for the last four years. “She got herself trained at a designated training center by World Aquatics and has been improving her timing consistently. She has been performing really well,” said Khan.