Five months before his triumphant Olympic gold medal victory, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem faced a significant challenge—he was in desperate need of a new javelin in March 2024. It was India’s Neeraj Chopra, who would later claim silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics, who stepped up to support his fellow South Asian athlete.
The dramatic Olympic final that unfolded will be remembered for years to come as both Chopra and Nadeem delivered unforgettable performances. Neeraj Chopra etched his name in history as the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two consecutive years of Olympic medals, capturing the silver in the men’s javelin throw. However, the spotlight was firmly on Arshad Nadeem, who defied all expectations by setting a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, earning Pakistan its first-ever individual gold medal at the Olympics.
Nadeem’s incredible throw during his second attempt set a benchmark that proved insurmountable for the rest of the competition, including Chopra, who managed a season-best throw of 89.45 meters. Despite his best efforts, it wasn’t enough to clinch the gold, but it did secure him the silver medal—an improvement on his qualification throw of 89.34 meters.
This outcome was particularly striking given that Chopra had never lost to Nadeem in their ten previous encounters. Nadeem’s astonishing throw, ranking as the sixth-longest in history, left spectators at the Stade de France in awe. Remarkably, just five months prior, the newly crowned Olympic champion from Pakistan was struggling to obtain a new javelin. In a heartfelt gesture, it was Neeraj Chopra who made an emotional plea to assist Arshad during that challenging time.