Pakistan’s javelin sensation Arshad Nadeem on Saturday once again written history, bringing home a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 with a thunderous throw of 86.40 metres in his final attempt.
With this stunning performance, Arshad not only secured the top spot but also reinforced his title as one of Asia’s leading javelin throwers.
The 28-year-old Olympian from Mian Channu displayed remarkable consistency throughout the final. After opening with a solid throw of 75.64 metres, Arshad kept raising the bar, culminating in a massive 85.57 metres in his third round—his best until the final throw sealed the deal.
This performance, although just shy of the Asian Championship record of 86.72 metres, was enough to outpace India’s Sachin Yadav, who took silver with an 85.16-metre throw. Japan’s Yuta Sakiyama bagged the bronze after reaching 83.75 metres.
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Fellow Pakistani athlete Yasir Sultan also showed promise, improving from a 70.53-metre opener to an impressive 75.50 metres in his third attempt. While Yasir couldn’t make it to the podium, his efforts were commendable.
Arshad Nadeem’s gold medal victory is even more historic considering that he is now the first Pakistani in over 50 years to win a gold at the Asian Athletics Championships. The last time Pakistan saw gold in this event was back in 1973, when legends Allah Dada and Muhammad Younis claimed top honours in javelin throw and 800 metres respectively.
The stadium roared as Arshad celebrated his win with a sajda (prostration), while the national anthem “Dil Dil Pakistan” echoed through the air. Back in his hometown, emotional scenes unfolded—supporters danced to drumbeats, sweets were distributed, and pride ran high across the community.
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This win is another feather in the cap for the athlete who already holds the Olympic javelin throw record of 92.97 metres, set at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Having four gold, one silver, and four bronze medals under his belt at major tournaments such as the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games, Arshad is further adding to Pakistan’s athletics heritage on the international stage.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also extended heartfelt congratulations on the victory as he continues to make the nation proud.
