PM Shehbaz annouces Rs150 million for Arshad Nadeem

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has announced Rs 150 million for star athlete Arshad Nadeem.

The Prime Minister has announced that the road between the F9 and F10 sectors will be renamed after Arshad Nadeem.

He said Nadeem will be honoured with the Hilal-e-Imtiaz. A high-performance academy will also be established at Jinnah Stadium Islamabad in his name.

He made the announcement at the Dinner hosted in honour of Arshad Nadeem.

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In his speech, javelin star Arshad Nadeem, who made history in Paris last week with his record-breaking 92.97-metre throw, announced that his next target is the world record.

Arshad’s victory marked Pakistan’s first individual gold medal, its first track and field medal, and only the second time a South Asian has claimed a podium finish in track and field.

Arshad, along with his family and coach Salman Iqbal Butt, was welcomed at the PM House by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the event, Arshad expressed his gratitude to his family and the nation, crediting their prayers for his Olympic record in the javelin throw.

“I’m thrilled that God blessed me with the gold medal, and we will celebrate August 14th with this achievement. It’s heartwarming to return to Pakistan and receive such immense love,” Arshad said.

He vowed to train rigorously for future competitions, stating, “My next goal is to break the world record.”

Arshad also expressed appreciation for the warm reception from PM Shehbaz and the public, remarking that the welcome “was perhaps even more rewarding than my medal.”

“This respect motivates athletes to work harder and achieve more,” he said, acknowledging the hard work and support from his coach and Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa.

Reflecting on his journey, Arshad shared that he was confident heading into the Games after intense preparation. “I qualified for the final at the Paris Olympics with my first throw over 86 metres. That gave me hope that I could compete for gold in the final,” he added.

Recalling the day of the final, Arshad described how he was slightly concerned about an injury while other competitors warmed up. His first throw resulted in a foul, but he remained undeterred. “When I took the second throw, I invoked God’s name, and as soon as the javelin left my hand, I knew it was over 90 metres,” he said.

Arshad concluded by saying that he had told his coach the gold medal and Olympic record were secure, and now he’s feeling confident about pursuing the world record.

Earlier today, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited the home of Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem. During the visit, she congratulated Nadeem on his gold medal victory and awarded him a cheque for Rs100 million in recognition of his outstanding achievement.

More to follow