Arshad Nadeem, the first Pakistani Olympic finalist who failed to win the medal but managed to win the hearts of Pakistanis. With a lot of pressure and the weight of history, Nadeem went into the 2021 Olympics with the hopes of bringing the gold home. Nadeem, the 24-year-old athlete who became the first javelin thrower from Pakistan to qualify for the Olympics, stepped into the Olympic Stadium on Saturday. However, his final throw ending into a foul broke the expectations of many.

As soon as Arshad Nadeem qualified for the finals, all of the breaking news in Pakistan pointed towards the hopes and expectations the people of Pakistan connected to his win.

His first obstacle was to stay in the top eight while competing with 12 other athletes. After the first three attempts, Nadeem was able to secure his position in the top 8 and then worked his way towards being one of the finalists.

Winning Hearts Of The People Of Pakistan

During his final throw, his coach, Fayyaz Hussain Bokhari, waved the flag of Pakistan in an attempt to motivate him to do his best. Expecting a moment of brilliance, the coach stood in anticipation with the Pakistani flag. However, that moment failed to appear, with Nadeem ending his final attempt with a foul.

Even though Nadeem failed to secure a spot on the podium, his fifth runner-up position spoke volumes. That was because Arshad Nadeem came into the Olympic spotlight from a small village in Khanewal called Mian Channu. His father, other family members, and the villagers gathered around a small television to support him through his journey as they could not be there with him. 

Arshad Nadeem also gave a short interview giving hope to Pakistanis that there is always another time and that success and failure is part of sports. He also stated that he would try to be better next time.

The first medal won by Arshad was at the South Asian Games, followed by medals at the Asian Junior Athletics Championships and the Islamic Solidarity Games. Despite being injured, he earned his spot in the Olympics when he gave a gold medal-winning performance at the South Asian Games.

Nadeem’s preparations hit a snag due to the COVID-19 pandemic when he could not travel to Europe for further training. His achievement was made even more special because he had to stay in Pakistan and make do with limited sports resources and facilities. Yet, he still managed to become the fifth runner-up.

His inspiring story and struggle melted the hearts of Pakistanis, making him the winner in the eyes of many.

His Loss Generated The Debate For Lack Of Sports Facilities

Even though Arshad Nadeem was praised for his performance at the Tokyo Olympics, his loss brought light to Pakistan’s lack of sporting facilities. Most Pakistanis demanded better resources for athletes, voicing out their thoughts on many social media platforms. 

Pakistan has failed to gain a spot on the Olympic podium since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. From the loss of the badminton player Mahnoor Shahzad to the loss of the weightlifter Talha Talib, the wait for the Olympic medal got longer by an additional four years.

Journalist Muhammad Adil Abbasi penned his thoughts on Twitter, voicing his opinion, stating that Arshad Nadeem has won because he sparked a genuine debate on how Pakistan lacks resources for the players.

This genuine debate has urged the government to take action in ensuring better sporting facilities for current and future athletes who wish to follow in the footsteps of Arshad Nadeem.

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