Pakistani Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem has said that cold weather conditions caused his body to stiffen during the Commonwealth Games javelin final in Glasgow, affecting his run-up and contributing to his ninth-place finish.
Nadeem, the defending champion, endured a difficult title defence at Scotstoun Stadium on July 31. He opened his campaign with a foul before managing a best throw of 77.41 metres on his second attempt. He could not improve on his third throw, managing only 75.39 metres, and was eliminated after the opening three rounds, missing out on the additional attempts given to the top eight finishers.
Speaking to reporters after his return, Nadeem explained what went wrong.
“The weather was extremely cold and I personally felt that it affected my body. As you have seen in many of my previous competitions, my run-up is usually very smooth, but this time it wasn’t… because my body had become stiff due to the cold conditions. My fitness was good and my health was fine, but ultimately whatever Allah wills is what happens,” he said.
“Please don’t lose heart and don’t stop supporting me either. Whatever I have achieved has only been possible because Allah blessed me with the opportunity to do it. The respect and recognition Pakistan has received around the world have come through years of hard work. I worked tirelessly while staying in Pakistan,” he added.
Calling on people to continue to pray for him and encouraging him, he added, “God willing, I will prepare with full dedication for the upcoming competitions and once again raise Pakistan’s flag on the international stage.”
“I also performed well in 2021, and after that Allah blessed me with great success and honour. Insha’Allah, when I compete again, I will give everything I have. I will never make excuses. I always enter every competition fully prepared, and that’s exactly how I approached this one as well. In the end, whatever Allah wills is what happens, and I am content with His decision.”
“I have heard many things on social media, but I want everyone to remember that I am Pakistan’s son, and I always will be,” he maintained.
On strong reactions from the general public, Nadeem said, “I realise that many Pakistanis might be disappointed, but I am not. I haven’t paid much attention to social media, though I have seen some comments. It hurts because I am your hero and your son. The Pakistani people are my own, so I understand their emotions.”
At the Commonwealth Games, Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won gold with India’s Neeraj Chopra taking silver and Yashvir Singh claiming bronze. It marked a stark contrast to Nadeem’s performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he won gold with a Games record throw of 90.18 metres.
Arshad Nadeem is set to next compete at the Lausanne Diamond League, also known as Athletissima, on August 21 in Switzerland.
The event will bring together a strong field, including Neeraj Chopra, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, world champion Keshorn Walcott and former world and Olympic champions Anderson Peters and Thomas Rohler, setting up another high-profile clash for Nadeem as he looks to regain form ahead of the Asian Games later this year.
