Arshad NadeemPPHI (Punjabi /Urdu:ارشد ندیم;Punjabi pronunciation:[ˈɐrʃɐdnəˈdiːm]; born 2 January 1997) is aPakistanijavelin thrower.[1] He is considered as one of the best javelin throwers in the world and is the reigningOlympic,Asian andCommonwealth Games champion. His 92.97 metres (305.0 ft) throw at the2024 Paris Olympics is anOlympic andAsian record, and it's also the sixth longest throw in the history of javelin throw, when considering only the best throw from each athlete.[5][6]
He is a two-time Olympian,[7] and thefirst Pakistani to qualify for the final of anytrack and field event at theOlympic Games[8] and theWorld Championships.[9]
At the2022 Commonwealth Games, he set a new national andCommonwealth Games record with a throw of 90.18 m (295.9 ft) and became the firstSouth Asian athlete to breach the 90 m mark.[10] In the2023 World Championships, he became thefirst Pakistani athlete to win a medal at the World Championships, a silver.[11] He representsWAPDA in theNational Games of Pakistan.[12]
Nadeem was born into aPunjabi Muslim family inMian Channu, in thePunjab province ofPakistan. He is the third-oldest among eight siblings.[13] Nadeem was an exceptionally versatile athlete from his early school years. Though he dabbled in all the sports on offer in his school —cricket,badminton,football and athletics — his passion was cricket, and he soon found himself playing it at district-level tape-ball tournaments.[14] Upon entering grade seven in school, Nadeem caught the eye of Rasheed Ahmad Saqi during an athletics competition. Saqi had a history of developing sportspeople in the division, and began training Nadeem soon afterwards.[15][16]
Before settling on javelin throw, Nadeem also pursuedshot put anddiscus throw. Gold medals in the javelin throw in successivePunjab Youth Festivals and an inter-board meet propelled him on to the national stage, bringing offers from all the leading domesticdepartmental teams, including the athletics sections of thePakistan Army,Air Force andWater and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).[15] It was his father, Muhammad Ashraf, who persuaded him to take up the sport of javelin throwing.[17] Nadeem actually aspired to become a full-time cricketer, but he changed his mind and shifted his focus to athletics as he first picked up the javelin in 2015; Nadeem himself acknowledged that it was "the best thing that happened" to him.[18]
Nadeem started competing in javelin competitions in 2015. In 2016, he received a scholarship fromWorld Athletics, which made him eligible to train at the IAAF High Performance Training Centre in Mauritius.[14]
In February 2016, Nadeem won the bronze medal at the12th South Asian Games inGuwahati, India, setting a national record and his personal best at 78.33 m.[19]
In June 2016, Nadeem won the bronze medal at the17th Asian Junior Athletics Championship, held inHo Chi Minh City.[20]
In May 2017, Nadeem won a bronze medal with a throw of 76.33 m at the4th Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku.[21] In April 2018, he set a new personal best of 80.45 m in the qualification round of theCommonwealth Games,[22] held in Gold Coast, Australia, and finished eighth.[23] He also sustained a back injury following the end of 2018 Commonwealth Games.[14] In August 2018, he won a bronze medal at theAsian Games inJakarta, Indonesia, where he set a new personal best andnational record of 80.75 m.[24] Arshad’s 2018 Asian Games bronze was Pakistan’s first athletics medal in 24 years at the Asian Games sinceAqarab Abbas’s hammer throw bronze in1994.[25]
As the only Pakistani athlete at the2019 World Athletics Championships[26] inDoha, Qatar, Nadeem achieved a new personal best and national record of 81.52 m.[27] In November 2019, Nadeem broke the national record again when he recorded an 83.65 m throw to win gold for WAPDA at the 33rd National Games inPeshawar.[28] In December 2019, he won a gold medal with an 86.29 mgames record throw at the13th South Asian Games in Nepal.[29]
Nadeem bagged a gold medal in the Javelin throw event at the inaugural Imam Reza Athletics Cup inMashhad,Iran. He registered his personal best throw and broke the national record. His throw was recorded at 86.38 m, booking an automatic place in theTokyo Olympics.[30]
Nadeem made his debut at the Olympics, representingPakistan at the 2020 Summer Olympics, which were held inTokyo in 2021. He became the first Pakistanitrack and field athlete to qualify for the Olympics.[31][32] His father stated that Nadeem was not provided with a good training ground facility prior to competing at the Olympics.[33] Nadeem trained in his home's courtyard and on the streets, and is believed to have not received any financial assistance from the Government of Pakistan after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.[17] Nadeem has openly spoken about the extreme difficulties of non-cricket sportspeople in Pakistan, who are largely ignored and neglected by sports officials.
On 4 August 2021, he qualified for the men's javelin throw event final of the2020 Tokyo Olympics.[34][35] He became the first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any Olympic track and field event.[36][37] He finished fifth in themen's javelin throw with a throw of 84.62 m.[38][39]
From March 2022, until the start of the world championships, Nadeem trained inSouth Africa under the supervision of coach Terseus Liebenberg.[40] The training was arranged by theAthletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP).[41][42]
In July 2022, Nadeem participated in theWorld Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, US, as the sole representative from Pakistan. He finished fifth in the final with a throw of 86.16 m.[43]
On 7 August 2022, Nadeem won a gold medal for Pakistan at the2022 Commonwealth Games. Despite being injured, he set a games record with his throw of 90.18 m on his fifth attempt, surpassing world championAnderson Peters' 88.64 m, becoming the first South Asian to surpass the 90 m mark.[10][44] This was Pakistan's first athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games since 1962.[45]
Five days later, on 12 August 2022, Nadeem won another gold medal for Pakistan at the2021 Islamic Solidarity Games. He broke the games record with his throw of 88.55 m.[46]
In November 2022, Nadeem won the gold medal in the javelin throw, with a toss of 81.21 m, at the 50th National Athletics Championship inLahore.[47]
Nadeem left for theUK on 1 December 2022 to get treatment on his injured elbow and knee joint. The AFP arranged for him to be treated at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital. After a ten-day rehabilitation and physiotherapy period, full recovery took a further four to six weeks.[48]
In May 2023, Nadeem participated in the34th National Games of Pakistan and won a gold medal with the longest throw of 78.02 m during his third attempt, while representing WAPDA.[49] However, he suffered a knee injury, which ruled him out of the2023 Asian Athletics Championships. AFP president Akram Sahi blamed WAPDA for forcing Nadeem to participate in the National Games.[50][51] Arshad received treatment for his injured elbow and knee injuries throughout 2023 by Dr. Ali Bajwa with support byRizwan Aftab Ahmed.[52]
Nadeem won a silver medal at the2023 World Athletics Championships inBudapest with a throw of 87.82 m. This was Pakistan's first ever medal at theWorld Athletics Championships.[53] He also secured qualification for the2024 Summer Olympics during the event.[54]
In July 2024, Nadeem finished in fourth place at theParis Diamond League with a 84.21 m throw on his fifth attempt.[55] He became the first Pakistani athlete to compete at theDiamond League. This event also marked his return to the international stage since August 2023, following a prolonged absence due to a knee injury that also sidelined him from the2022 Asian Games.[56]
At the2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Nadeem became the first Pakistani to win an Olympic medal in Athletics, by winning anOlympic gold medal.[57] He is also the first Pakistani athlete to win an Olympic gold medal for an individual sport.[58] He not only claimed themen's javelin throw title but set a new Olympic record of 92.97 m in the final.[59] The previous Olympic record holder was NorwegianAndreas Thorkildsen, who achieved 90.57 m at the2008 Beijing Olympics.[60] Nadeem's throw is the sixth-longest throw ever, when considering only the best throw from each athlete.[5][61] Nadeem won Pakistan’s first Olympic medal since1992, and their first Olympic gold medal since 1984.[62] Prior to the 2024 Olympics, Nadeem was considered as an underdog by many critics.[18] His throw of 92.97 m was also confirmed by officials as the longest throw in the world by any male javelin thrower in the current season. He was only the fourth athlete to breach the 90 m mark in the javelin final in the history of Olympics, a feat he achieved twice, in his second and final throw.[63]
On 11 August 2024, Nadeem was honoured with a parade inLahore.[58]
Nadeem threw 86.40 m to win gold medal in the men’s javelin final at theAsian Championships inGumi,South Korea, on 31 May 2025. He became the first Pakistani since1973 to win a gold medal at theAsian Athletics Championships.[64]
After suffering partial muscle damage in his right calf, Nadeem underwent surgery in Cambridge, UK in July 2025, followed by intense rehab under Dr. Ali Bajwa. In the final of theWorld Athletics Championships inTokyo, despite being declared fully fit, his best throw was 82.75 m, which earned him 10th place overall.[65][66]
In November 2025, Nadeem successfully defended his men's javelin throw title at the2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, winning gold with a best effort of 83.05 m. He was the only athlete in the final to exceed 80 m. His compatriot,Muhammad Yasir Sultan, claimed silver with a throw of 76.04 m, giving Pakistan a 1–2 finish. Despite recovering from calf surgery earlier in the year, Nadeem expressed gratitude for returning to form.[67]
Nadeem is married and has a daughter and a son. He is a devoutMuslim.[68]
Nadeem describes himself as anintrovert.[7] His coach, Salman Iqbal Butt, a former national-level discus thrower, remembered him as a very respectful and obedient athlete who bowed his head as he listened to his coach's words. "He is Zen-like. He is quiet. He is focused, and no matter the setback, he does not let it linger. This is one of the most incredible things about Nadeem, and you cannot really teach it either," his coach said.[7]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | South Asian Games |  Guwahati,India | 3rd | Javelin throw | 78.33 m |
| Asian Junior Championships |  Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam | 3rd | Javelin throw | 73.40 m | |
| World U20 Championships |  Bydgoszcz,Poland | 30th (q) | Javelin throw | 67.17 m | |
| 2017 | Islamic Solidarity Games |  Baku,Azerbaijan | 3rd | Javelin throw | 76.33 m |
| Asian Championships | Bhubaneswar,India | 7th | Javelin throw | 78.00 m | |
| 2018 | Commonwealth Games |  Gold Coast,Australia | 8th | Javelin throw | 76.02 m |
| Asian Games |  Jakarta,Indonesia | 3rd | Javelin throw | 80.75 m | |
| 2019 | Asian Championships |  Doha,Qatar | 6th | Javelin throw | 78.55 m |
| World Championships | Doha,Qatar | 16th (q) | Javelin throw | 81.52 mNR | |
| South Asian Games |  Kathmandu,Nepal | 1st | Javelin throw | 86.29 mGRNR | |
| 2021 | Imam Reza Cup |  Mashhad,Iran | 1st | Javelin throw | 86.38 mNR |
| Olympic Games |  Tokyo,Japan | 5th | Javelin throw | 84.62 m | |
| 2022 | World Championships |  Eugene, Oregon,United States | 5th | Javelin throw | 86.16 m |
| Commonwealth Games |  Birmingham,England | 1st | Javelin throw | 90.18 mGRNR | |
| Islamic Solidarity Games |  Konya,Turkey | 1st | Javelin throw | 88.55 mGR | |
| 2023 | World Championships |  Budapest,Hungary | 2nd | Javelin throw | 87.82 mSB |
| 2024 | Olympic Games |  Paris,France | 1st | Javelin throw | 92.97 mORAR |
| 2025 | Asian Championships |  Gumi,South Korea | 1st | Javelin throw | 86.40 m |
| World Championships | Tokyo,Japan | 10th | Javelin throw | 82.75 m | |
| Islamic Solidarity Games |  Riyadh,Saudi Arabia | 1st | Javelin throw | 83.05 m |
| Year | Performance | Place | Date[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 70.46 metres | Islamabad, Pakistan | 3 April |
| 2016 | 78.33 metres | Guwahati, India | 10 February |
| 2017 | 78 metres | Bhubaneswar, India | 9 July |
| 2018 | 80.75 metres | Jakarta, Indonesia | 27 August |
| 2019 | 86.29 metres(GR) | Kathmandu, Nepal | 7 December |
| 2021 | 86.38 metres | Mashhad, Iran | 12 April |
| 2022 | 90.18 metres(GR) | Birmingham, England | 7 August |
| 2023 | 87.82 metres | Budapest, Hungary | 27 August |
| 2024 | 92.97 metres(OR) (AR) | Paris, France | 8 August |
| 2025 | 86.40 metres | Gumi, South Korea | 31 May |
| Ribbon | Decoration | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Pride of Performance |  Pakistan | 2022 |
.png) | Hilal-i-Imtiaz | 2024 |
He was presented aPride of Performance Award in 2022 by thePresident of Pakistan.[69]
In August 2024, he was presented aHilal-i-Imtiaz Award by thePresident of Pakistan for securing the country's first Olympic gold medal in four decades at the2024 Summer Olympics. A special postage stamp themedAzm-e-Istehkam was also issued by the federal government in connection withPakistan's Independence Day featuring an image of Nadeem.[70][71] TheCapital Development Authority upon the directives of the federal government, decided to rename the Service Road East inIslamabad's sector F-10, extending from the Jinnah Avenue to Khayaban-i-Iqbal after Arshad Nadeem.[72]
In May 2025, he was honoured as theBest Asian Athlete by theAsian Athletics Association during a ceremony inGumi,South Korea, following the Asian Athletics Meeting, recognizing his outstanding achievements and status as one of the continent’s top athletes.[73] He was also included in Forbes30 Under 30 list for South Asia, recognizing his impact and excellence in athletics.[74][75]
He has served as a brand ambassador for a number of brands and organizations, includingHaier,FFC,PTCL and Blue World City Legends Enclave.[76][77][78][79]
[...] the broad-chested, 1.92m-tall (6ft-3-inch-tall) athlete [...]
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Media related toArshad Nadeem at Wikimedia Commons
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Men's Javelin Asian Record Holder 8 August 2024 – present | Incumbent |
|
Commonwealth Games champions in men'sjavelin throw | |
|---|---|
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