Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem was lauded after his excellent performance in the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
Nadeem not only qualified for the final of the event but also secured his spot in the Paris Olympics 2024 with a throw of 86.79 metres.
The benchmark for Olympics was 85.50m, which Nadeem managed to cross successfully.
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Nadeem had a rusty start as he could only reach 70.63 in his first attempt. However, he came back into reckoning with a 81.53m throw in his second attempt.
Automatic qualifying mark for the final was 83 metres or at least the top 12.
The final of javelin throw will be held on Sunday, August 27.
Nadeem shot to fame when he finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, a feat which changed the entire life of the athlete. It not only fetched him fame and wealth but also transformed his personality.
Nadeem then also finished fifth in the World Championship in the US last year. Soon afterwards he recorded his best throw of 90.18 metre in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which is also a record throw of the quadrennial event.
He then underwent elbow and left knee surgery in London, took time in his rehab and returned to competitive field in May in the 34th National Games in Quetta.
Although he failed to show his fitness there he managed a gold for his department WAPDA. In this event he received a heavy blow when he injured his right knee which later forced him to skip the Asian Championship held in Bangkok recently.
Earlier, India’s Neeraj Chopra also qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 with a 88.77 metre throw, which was his season's best, in his first attempt during the World Athletics Championship qualifying round on Friday.