LAHORE: Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s premier javelin thrower and the sole medal hope of the country in the Paris Olympics, on Wednesday reached Paris.
“Yes, we just arrived here at the Paris Airport,” he told ‘The News’ from Paris Airport. “InshaAllah I will go for a medal,” said Arshad when asked whether the nation should expect a medal from him.
He said that he is fit and would go for achieving “success” in the event. Arshad’s journey in the Paris Olympics will begin from August 6 with the qualification phase. The finals will be conducted on August 8.
Arshad will begin his workout in Paris from Thursday (today). “Yes, I will inshaAllah start training tomorrow,” he said. He is accompanied by his coach Salman Butt. They will be joined by England-based Dr Ali Sher Bajwa who has been working with him for the last few years.
Bajwa had also arrived here a few days ago to monitor his fitness progress. Arshad underwent a laser knee surgery under Bajwa a few months ago. Arshad, who claimed the first-ever silver for the country in the last year’s World Championship in Hungary, also underwent recently a five-week long training in South Africa.
Arshad’s medal chances in the Paris Olympics are high. The way he returned to competitive athletics after a year a few days ago by finising fourth in the Paris Diamond League shows that the boy from Mian Channu is expected to do his best in Olympics and claim the first-ever Olympic medal for the country in athletics.
Pakistan’s entire Olympics contingent, comprising seven athletes and 11 officials, now has reached Paris. Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Secretary General Khalid Mehmood has reached Paris while the POA chief Mohammad Abid Qadri was scheduled to fly for Paris on Wednesday. Both will be guests of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Pakistan’s contingent chef de mission Mohammad Shafiq told ‘The News’ that everything is fine. “Yes, everything is okay,” he told this correspondent from Paris. A representative of Pakistan’s Embassy in Paris has also joined national contingent, Shafiq confirmed.
Arshad and female swimmer Jehanara Nabi will act as flag-bearers of Pakistan’s contingent at the opening ceremony of the Games on Friday (tomorrow). Shooters Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Joseph Gulfam and Kishmala Talat, female sprinter Faiqa Riaz and Dubai-based swimmer Mohammad Ahmed Durrani are the others who will be competing in Olympics.
