The first-ever Pakistani player to win a gold medal in the Javelin throw competition in the Paris Olympics 2024, Arshad Nadeem united a deeply polarised country in the best way possible. The moment his javelin sneaked through the air on its way to breaking records went down in history, every single Pakistani felt the achievement personally.

Many mothers were left teary-eyed seeing the pride in his mother’s eyes, and many fathers learnt to support their children's dream. 

For us, it was Arshad’s thoughtfulness that won us over.

“A university should be established in the Mian Chunno City so that [it brings ease] to our sisters who have to travel to Multan for education covering a long distance spanning over 1.5 to two hours," the gold medalist said in his first interview after reaching home with his son in his lap and a crowd waiting to greet him. 

Arshad’s words were loud and clear, demanding a solution to the long and strenuous journey of going to Multan from his city that discourages many from pursuing academic aspirations.

It was not just the medal that made him popular but the nobility of thought that made the glory permanent. Moreover, it was the sheer display of hard work and dedication that made people from all walks of life come around and celebrate Arshad’s achievement as the success of all the underdogs, the poor, the sportsmen playing any sport other than cricket and just everyone trying to make it big without any resource in a country like ours.

Winning a gold medal and setting a new record of 92.97 metre long throw in the history of the Olympics was one thing, inspiring people to think beyond the usual is another. With Arshad’s resounding success, so many got to know about the unique sport of javelin throw. Many videos popped up, featuring children practising their throws. 

It also gave us that rare moment of mutual love when India's Neeraj Chopra and Arshad’s mothers celebrated each other’s sons, going against the tide of expected rivalry.

Last but not least, the throw realized the age-old parable of the tortoise and the hare in its true sense. Arshad’s slow and steady win was nothing short of the tortoise, who reached the finish line despite all the hurdles. From fifth in Tokyo 2020 to winning gold at Paris 2024, he kept his head low and spirits high, raising the morale of the country.