Arshad not going to Kazakhstan

KARACHI: The Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has dropped the option of sending javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem to Kazakhstan for training due to shortage of time.

“Yes, Arshad will only feature in an international event in Kazakhstan slated to be held from June 19-20. Arshad will return immediately after featuring in that event as Olympics are just around the corner and at this stage we want to train him here at home in order to fully utilise the time,” a senior official of the AFP told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

Arshad last month was sent to Turkey for a two-week training under World Athletics coach Viktor of Kazakhstan.

Before that he produced his personal best throw of 86.38 metre in an international event in Mashhad, Iran, which earned the Khanewal-born athlete a gold medal. It was the biggest throw of that Iranian event in which athletes of several countries featured.

Arshad returned from Turkey on May 5 after his five crucial days were wasted due to flight unavailability. He then went home and spent over two weeks with his family.

Arshad now is set to resume his training at Lahore. He has reported for the camp and on Tuesday night he was scheduled to do some warm-up at the PSB Coaching Centre in the Punjab capital.

On Wednesday (today) morning, he will properly start his training for the Tokyo Olympics.

“Yes, he is here and today we will do light warm-up and from tomorrow morning work will be done on conditioning,” Arshad’s coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari told ‘The News’.

“We have a couple of months at our disposal and we will make every effort to achieve top form and fitness before flying out for Tokyo Games,” Fayyaz said.

Arshad was administered Covid vaccine in Islamabad under the auspices of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Monday and so he has completed the two-doze course. So has Fayyaz, who will accompany him to Japan.

Arshad had felt some elbow pain when he was in Turkey but now he is well. “Currently I don’t feel pain but it will be seen when I start training,” Arshad told ‘The News’.

“I have now left all worries behind and will solely focus on my job during my training period which is the most vital phase. I will let you know after ten days how I will go up and what I can achieve during my training,” said Arshad, the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games bronze medallist.