'Want to Watch Arshad & Neeraj Compete in Pakistan,' Says Arshad's Coach

Arshad Nadeem won the men's javelin throw gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem greet each other at the medal ceremony.

(Photo: PTI)

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan's premier javelin thrower, became the first South Asian to throw over 90 meters when he threw 90.18m during the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games, to win the gold medal.

World champion Anderson Peters was relegated to the silver medal position, with his 88.64m effort even as reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra could not compete in Birmingham due to an injury.

Soon after the victory, Arshad's coach Syed Hussain Bukhari spoke to the Indian media about his ward's accomplishment and a wish he had to have Neeraj compete in their homeland.

Bukhari told the Indian Express: "I would like to watch Arshad and Neeraj compete at a packed stadium in Lahore or Islamabad. Most of the time, Arshad trains at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad and Lahore as well.

"I as a Pakistani promise you that if Neeraj wins, we will shower him the same love we showered on Milkha Singh Ji when he won against Abdul Khaliq in Lahore in 1960. Athletes share a common bond of love for the sports," he added.

While Neeraj's gold medal in Tokyo set off a javelin revolution in India, with many youngsters picking up the sport, Nadeem's coach said something similar had happened across Pakistan as well, following his fifth place finish in the men's final.

"After Arshad's Asian Games bronze and Tokyo Olympics qualification topping, I can say I get to see 30-40 javelin throwers in almost each training ground in Lahore,' he said.

"In recent months, I have seen youth coming from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and from near the Pakistan-China border areas come to enquire about trials at Lahore. What Neeraj did for India, Arshad's Olympic participation and today's record can do the same in Pakistan," he added.