LAHORE – Pakistani star Olympian Arshad Nadeem received a hero’s welcome as he lands in Punjab capital for being the first Pakistani athlete to qualify for the Olympics and the first to reach a track-and-field final.
A large number of fans stayed up late to welcome the strapping 24-year-old thrower at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Punjab Minister for Youth and Sports Rai Taimoor Bhatti, Athletics’ Federation president, coaches and other athletes welcome the Mian Channu based athlete despite returning with any medal as millions praised him to represent Pakistan in finals with little resources at his disposal. The sports fans chanted loud slogans to welcome the Pakistani athlete.
Arshad Nadeem gets hero’s welcome upon return to Pakistan.
watch here full : https://t.co/6hbEwsF6EN pic.twitter.com/rqV14Z7e9o
— Malik Ali Raza (@MalikAliiRaza) August 12, 2021
Meanwhile, the gold medalist of South Asian Games 2019 hailed sports boards for patronizing him and he also expressed gratitude for nation prayers during his attempt.
Speaking at the airport, he said “I got fame in the world owing to people’s prayers and I will overcome my shortcomings and play the best game in the future”.
On the other hand, the Punjab sports minister while commending Arshad’s performance said, “He has made us proud after making global recognition for Pakistan”.
The 24-year-old entered as one of the medal contenders after finishing third in qualifiers earlier. His best throw in the final, 84.62, came in the third attempt of the initial phase and took him near to the medal.
Later, Arshad couldn’t surpass other athletes including India’s Neeraj Chopra in the next three attempts of the final phase. The Pakistani athlete could throw 82.91 and 81.98 in the 4th and 5th attempts before being disqualified in the 6th.
Tokyo Olympics: Pakistan s Arshad Nadeem misses medal in javelin throw event but wins hearts
However, he made history at the global event by becoming the first-ever Pakistani athlete to qualify for the final of any track and field event in the Olympics.
Earlier, the Punjab government announced a cash reward of Rs1 million for Arshad Nadeem for his stellar performances in the Tokyo Olympics.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/12-Aug-2021/arshad-nadeem-warns-fans-about-fraudulent-activity-in-new-twitter-video
