Five years ago, if someone had said that a Pakistani would win a medal in athletics at the Olympics, people would have laughed at him or her, and probably advised the predictor to consult a psychiatrist.

And if someone had thought at that time that a Pakistani athlete would create a new record at the Olympics, people would have seriously thought about having him or her committed to a mental health facility.

But it all actually happened on August 8, 2024. That was the day when, standing tall at 6’3“, Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s Olympic hope from Mian Channu, achieved both dreams with a single javelin throw at the Stade de France in Paris.

Arshad’s achievement is the greatest in Pakistan’s sports history. It has superseded all the previous team or individual successes of Pakistan — hockey golds at the Olympics, hockey and cricket World Cup victories, squash victories at the British Open or World Open, etc.

A country’s standing in sports among the world’s nations is measured by its position in the latest Olympics’ medal tally. Moreover, athletics has always been the showpiece event of the Olympics, which is also the most followed. Even the preliminaries are held at the main stadium. The Stade de France was always full, not just for the finals in the evenings, but also for the preliminaries, held in the first part of the day.

Tracing the journey of Pakistan’s Olympic hero, Arshad Nadeem, to the javelin gold medal at the Paris Olympics…

Before the 2024 Olympics, Pakistan had won 10 Olympic medals — three gold (all in hockey), three silver (all in hockey) and four bronze (two in hockey, one in wrestling, and one in boxing). The last medal (bronze) came in 1992, while the last gold was garnered in 1984. Arshad presented the nation with its first individual Olympic gold.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was the only gold won by the Saarc countries, which comprise one-fourth of the world’s population. Of the 206 nations at the Olympics, 115 failed to win a single medal. With this one gold, Pakistan finished 62nd among the medals rankings.

It was in December 2019 when Arshad suddenly became the nation’s hope in athletics. With a sensational throw of 86.29 metres at the South Asian Games, he not only qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, but also became a medal contender. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a not-fully fit Arshad finished fifth, the best position ever by a Pakistani in athletics at the Olympics.

Then his persistent battle with injuries started. His preparations for the 2022 World Athletics Championships were affected due to an elbow and knee injury and hopes for a medal were dashed as he again finished fifth. Still, he was the first Pakistani in a World Athletics final.

Just a couple of weeks later, Arshad delivered his finest performance till then. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, he obtained Pakistan’s first athletics gold in the games in 60 years. His incredible throw of 90.18 metres was his personal best and a new Commonwealth record. And he did this despite the injuries.

Finally, he opted for surgery in December 2022. A well-known British-Pakistani surgeon, Dr Ali Sher Bajwa, successfully operated on his knee and a South African surgeon on his elbow.

After a rehab period, Arshad appeared in the nationals. But his other knee caused trouble and he had to skip the Asian Athletics Championships in July 2023. Soon fit again, he had his second mega success in August 2023, with a silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics.

It was the country’s maiden medal at the World Athletics meet, just 35 cm behind India’s Neeraj Chopra. Cometh the Asian Games in September 2023, Arshad withdrew just a day before the competition, as his knee injury recurred.

All this raised doubts about the nation’s sole medal hope; would he be fit for the 2024 Olympics?

This scribe has remained in touch with Salman Iqbal Butt, Arshad’s coach since 2021 and who has worked with missionary zeal. About his injuries, Salman said at the time, “Yes, it is quite alarming. But we will be very cautious. Arshad will train in Lahore with his performance and fitness closely monitored. We will also remain in touch with his former coaches, who trained him in South Africa and Germany. Dr Ali Sher Bajwa will also be kept in the loop.”

Incidentally, Dr Bajwa not only operated on Arshad’s knee but remained with him during his training period, foregoing his other assignments abroad. His fitness improved and Arshad was sent to South Africa for a month of training in May/June of this year.

The Diamond League is World Athletics’ annual lucrative series of elite competitions, where top athletes are invited. Because of the fitness issues and giving priority to the title events, Arshad hadn’t figured in any of its previous editions. Plus, he had been absent from all competitions for almost a year.

A month before the Olympics, Arshad appeared in a Diamond League meet for the first time, on July 7. Importantly, it was held in Paris, the host city for the 2024 Olympics. With his last throw of 84.21m, he finished fourth. The winner’s distance was 85.91m.

At the Olympics on August 6, he easily qualified for the final round, with his first throw of 86.59 (84m was required for automatic qualification). He was fourth among the qualifiers, with Chopra topping with 89.34. Thus the Indian, the reigning Olympic and World Champion, was most people’s favourite for the gold medal.

Chopra is not a member of the 90-metre club, while Arshad is. In his post-qualification presser, Arshad appeared confident. “Normally my first throw is in the 70s. I was surprised by the 86-plus,” he said.

On August 8, both Chopra and Arshad started with no throws. Next, history was created. Arshad Nadeem’s second throw left the 75,000 people in the stadium and hundreds of millions of TV viewers gasping. His 92.97m bettered the existing Olympic record by more than two metres. The competition was virtually over.

Chopra’s second throw was 89.45m, the sixth farthest in Olympics history. But after that, Chopra completely lost the plot. His remaining four attempts were all no-throws; with him faulting across the line. No one else touched 90m.

With the Olympic gold already secured, Arshad could have foregone his sixth (last) throw. But he put all effort behind it, and it was another huge throw. The 91.79m throw was the second farthest in Olympics history, only behind his own earlier effort.

A lot has been said about the support or lack of support extended to Arshad and the record should be set straight. His department, Wapda, recruited him in 2015 in grade 11. He got promotions with successes at the national and international levels. He is now in grade 18. After the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Pakistan Olympic Association secured an elite athlete scholarship from the International Olympic Committee, worth a monthly Rs0.25 million, for four years.

As per the Government of Pakistan’s policy, Arshad was rewarded Rs5 million each for the Commonwealth gold and the World Athletics’ silver medals. The Athletics Federation of Pakistan arranged foreign training sessions for him, while the government of Pakistan — through the Pakistan Sports Board — funded his participation in major international events, while also taking care of his medical expenses. He also has sponsorships from the private sector.

The man who has made the entire nation happy and proud is now deservedly being lavished with prizes in cash and kind, conferred with the second highest state honour — the Hilal-i-Imtiaz — and has had his feat commemorated with a special stamp as well.

It is only right that Pakistan’s greatest sports accomplishment should be immortalised like Indian athlete Milkha Singh’s has been, with the biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Arshad’s achievements and struggle provide an ideal script.

India celebrates its national day of sports on August 29, commemorating the birthday of hockey legend Dhyan Chand. August 8 should also be declared as the national sports day of Pakistan, to commemorate Arshad Nadeem’s stupendous feat.

The writer is a freelance sports journalist based in Lahore.
X: @IjazChaudhry1 Email: ijaz62@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 18th, 2024