ISLAMABAD: Pakistani javelin thrower\’s record-breaking win of gold medal at the Olympics Games in Paris has sent waves of jubilation across the country with government and opposition members unanimously passing a congratulatory resolution in the National Assembly on Friday.
In the Javelin final at the Olympics Games, Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal with a 92.97 metres throw, making a new Olympics record. Later, Nadeem was given the gold medal at a ceremony in Paris.
The National Assembly in its resolution recommended to the government to announce a civil award for Nadeem.
Crowds of people gathered outside the house of the Olympian in Mian Channu Punjab and danced to the tune of local music. His mother said she was proud of his son for bringing honor to Pakistan.
“I will go to the airport and garland my son. He has made Pakistan proud. Before the match, Arshad phoned and told me that he wanted to do something big for Pakistan. He asked me to pray for his success. Not only me, the whole nation prayed for my son,” the mother told media.
Talking to the foreign news agency, AFP, Shahid Nadeem, the elder brother of the athlete, said: “I made Arshad switch from playing cricket to javelin at a time when no one knew what the javelin was. He took that stick to the Olympics, set a new record, and won gold.”
Meanwhile, social media users burst into celebration praising the athlete for his hard work to achieve the victory and bring laurels to the nation despite lack of resources and patronage at the government level.
Cash rewards
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced Rs100 million cash award for the javelin thrower for winning the gold medal. She said that winning the gold medal for Pakistan after 40 years, Nadeem has made the nation proud in the world. This is the biggest gift to the nation on the Independence Day. The chief minister also announced to establish a Sports City in the name of Nadeem.
Earlier, the Sindh government announced Rs50 million and governors Sindh and Punjab Rs2 million each for the athlete.