'My village needs roads, electricity, cooking gas,' says Arshad Nadeem

You do not often witness a javelin throw exceeding 90 meters, especially at the world’s most prestigious sporting event—the Olympics.

However, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem achieved this remarkable feat not once, but twice on his way to winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. On his second attempt, Arshad unleashed a monstrous 92.97-meter throw, breaking the Olympic record previously held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen and securing the top spot on the podium.

Arshad finished the event with a dominant 91.79m - the top two scores of the day.

It was Pakistan's first individual Olympic gold and the country's first Olympic gold medal in 32 years.

As a result, when he returned home he received a hero's welcome in his village, Mian Channu in Pakistan's Punjab province.

At 27, Arshad’s victory was a moment of immense pride for his family, village, and nation. However, despite the celebration, Arshad has not forgotten the challenges faced by his community.

With humility and a sense of responsibility, he has used his newfound prominence to highlight the pressing needs of his village.

Appealing to the Pakistani government, Arshad said, “My village needs roads, and electricity. If the government provides cooking gas, it would be great for me and my village. I also have a dream that Mian Channu city gets a university so that our sisters won’t have to travel to Multan, which is 1.5 to 2 hours away, to study.”

A video of his appeal has gone viral, with many expressing hope that the government will act on his suggestions.

While grateful for the support that helped him achieve his success, Arshad remains committed to his training and future competitions.

He expressed his gratitude to the government, and said, “I am thankful to the government for providing me with the opportunity and training over the years that helped me end the decades-long medal drought in the country.”