Pakistan’s superstar Arshad Nadeem who recently won a Gold Medal in the Olympics said that he rejected offers to leave Pakistan after the Tokyo Olympics.
He made a revelation in an interview with a local TV channel. He said that he received multiple offers to move abroad after the Tokyo Olympics. However, he refused and said that he wanted to stay in Pakistan and achieve success. Nadeem asserted that he “loves the soil of Pakistan and will only train in Pakistan.”
He also talked about his friendship with Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra. The Pakistani athlete said that his friendship with “Neeraj [Chopra] began in 2016 when I participated in the first international event — the South Asian Games — and every year since then I have played in three to four events and met with him during them”.
Arshad Nadeem said that he also prays for the success of the Pakistan Cricket Team. “They are also our heroes and I pray for them that they work hard and achieve for Pakistan just like I have,” Nadeem stated in an interview.
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Earlier, the Pakistani athlete received a hero’s welcome upon his return from the Paris Olympics 2024. Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport was filled with top officials, provincial and federal ministers, Nadeem’s family, and a large crowd of fans who came to greet him.
The national hero’s flight, TK-174, operated by Turkish Airlines, landed at 1:25 PM after departing from Istanbul 27 minutes late. Upon arrival, the aircraft was honored with a water cannon salute, a gesture directed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister Youth Program Chairman Rana Mashhood, Minister of State for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, and Khawaja Saad Rafique, representing the government, were present to welcome Nadeem.
In his remarks to the media, Nadeem expressed his gratitude to Allah for his achievement and thanked the nation for the overwhelming support. He emphasized that his success was the result of hard work and the prayers of his parents and the nation. Nadeem also acknowledged the support provided by the government and the Sports Board Punjab in his journey.