It would perhaps be sacreligious, but not amiss, to call Arshad Nadeem Pakistan’s sporting messiah. He was the saviour the country had pinned all their Olympic aspirations on when he flew to Paris last year, ultimately creating history for a nation facing a medal drought at the most spectacular sporting show on Earth.
No sooner had the Olympic champion emerged in the PNS Karsaz ground that he was greeted by the dusty Karachi winter heat and pockets of fans swarming him for selfies every two metres. He obliged, as he always has to his fans. Read: Man of the people.
Athletes abandoned their warmup to snap a photo with him, cramming into a single frame lest they miss the historic opportunity. Young women squealed in delight and adjusted their hair before posing for the camera, while older technical officials — the vanguard of Pakistan athletics well before Arshad was born — took his hand in both of theirs as they blessed with him a long life and more prosperity for the nation. One boy even pinched his kameez away from his body for Arshad to sign.
This is what the nation had been waiting for. Arshad was home.
Not home in the sense of Lahore, where he relocated from hometown Mian Channu some years prior, but home in the sense of the people he dedicated every victory to.
He was competing on home soil for the first time since his Olympic feat, and his very presence was the spectacle the people had come to behold. They had not come to see him compete; the gold medal was his even if he threw the javelin blind-folded. They had come to see him perform, to give them a trace of the magic he had produced in Paris in front of an international audience in Stade de France.
Now, they were just inches away from the Greek mythology-like figure whose superpowers were a product of sheer raw talent, tutelage from coach Salman Butt, and a faith in Allah above all else.
“Take photos and videos, keep a digital memory of this moment, that Arshad Nadeem was here to compete and you witnessed greatness with your own eyes!” the commentator boomed over the speaker as though he were selling tickets to a circus performance.
Sure enough, all spectators and non-officiating technical officials had pulled out their phones for an amateur shot while more than a dozen TV cameramen lined the periphery of the javelin vector.
Arshad’s first throw of 78.74m was further than the national record he set at the 2016 South Asian Games to win bronze for Pakistan, his first of many international accolades of the nation.
But he has come a long way since then. While a 90m plus throw was absent all year, the 28-year-old looked miffed with his throw that was rumoured to be his one and only.
A second throw at 77m — still miles ahead of second place Yasir Sultan, who bagged silver behind Arshad at the Islamic Solidarity Games last month — was beginning to agitate Arshad.
Still, the effusive praise flowed freely from the commentators’ stands. The audience cheered and crowded closer to see the action despite officials pushing them back. Schoolchildren who had skipped afternoon classes stood ready with notebook covers peeled back to a fresh page and a ballpoint pen clicked open for an autograph.
As the field continued on with their throws, Arshad debriefed on the side of the field with coach Salman Butt gesticulating throwing technicalities. The 60-something year-old was also giving advice to Arshad’s younger brother Aleem, who was nowhere near that standard since Arshad orbits in a league of his own.
Homage was also paid to Yasir and the other top medal contenders as the commentary rolled on throughout the hour-long session that had all but ended once Arshad breached the 80m mark on his third and final throw of the day.
He let out a warrior cry and pumped his fists in the air, smiling as he walked away from the run-up path after hearing 81.81m. Self-satisfaction was what he was really after.
His work for the day done, Arshad was at ease. He continued to entertain requests for selfies and autographs from the dozens of multiethnic faces crammed together in Karachi for the national sporting spectacle.
“This is one of the biggest events for the youth of our country, and it’s where I began participating, as I did today; this is where I began my journey,” he said after the medal ceremony.
“There’s plenty of athletes coming out of these games that will compete for Pakistan next year at the Commonwealth Games or Asian Games, for example. The way I make Pakistan proud when I compete abroad, so will they,” he said to “Ameen Ameen” from the crowd.
One media personnel crouched beneath and held up a bouquet of microphones above his head to catch words of wisdom from the javelin guru.
No sooner had footage of his throws gone viral on social media that it was flooded with criticism from armchair analysts disappointed with his non-92m throws, unbeknownst to Arshad, who explained his 80m throws anyway.
“See, athletes adjust to where they’re competing. I was a bit loose today because I didn’t want to risk injury again with a big throw, so my goal was to just win gold,” Arshad said.
He seems to have had to explain himself a whole lot this year with as the Athletics Federation of Pakistan interrogated Salman on Arshad’s “disappointing performance” at the Tokyo world championships before slapping a lifetime ban on him to send shockwaves across global and international news. The “improper, premature, and harmful” decision, as the Pakistan Sports Board called it, was annulled by then.
“I’m just happy that justice has been served,” Salman said as he clasped his hands in front of him. “I’d like to now get back to the work I do.”
In an exclusive interview with Dawn, Salman spelled out the duo’s plans for 2026, which include at least three Diamond League events, the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the forthcoming exclusive star-studded Ultimate Championships that carry a hefty prize pot.
Throws seen, words heard, the people only barely eased up on crowding around Arshad. They walked in his footsteps, literally and figuratively, until they followed the messiah to the promised land of international sporting glory for Pakistan.
