Key Points
- Pakistan’s Yasir Sultan also qualifies for Javelin Final with 76.7-metre
- Shajar Abbas, Mueed Baloch to represent Pakistan in 400-metre sprint
- Tameen Khan to represent Pakistan in women’s 100-metre sprint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem and emerging talent Yasir Sultan have successfully secured their places in the men’s javelin throw final at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championship, which is currently underway in Gumi, South Korea.
Arshad, competing in Group A, made an immediate impression with a powerful first attempt, throwing 86.34 metres to comfortably qualify for the final.
“I topped the qualifying round with a long throw,” Arshad stated. “The final is tomorrow at 1:10 PM Pakistan time.”
Yasir Sultan, part of Group B, also progressed to the final after achieving a respectable throw of 76.7 metres, giving Pakistan two strong contenders in the event’s final.
Call for national support
With hopes high for a medal, Arshad appealed to the nation for their support ahead of the decisive round.
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“People have always prayed for me — please do so again tomorrow. Pray that I can raise Pakistan’s flag high. Pakistan Zindabad!” he said, urging fans to support him one again.
The final is scheduled for tomorrow, as part of the championship running from 27 to 31 May in Gumi. Pakistan has sent a small but promising five-member team to this continental competition.
Arshad Nadeem, who made history by clinching gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 metres, is leading the national squad.
This marks his first major outing since that historic triumph. He is Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medallist and remains the only athlete from the country to win an Olympic medal in athletics.
Glory across games
Over his career, Arshad has amassed an impressive collection of accolades, including four golds, one silver, and four bronze medals across major international competitions — such as the Olympics, World Championship, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, South Asian Games, and the Asian U20 Championship.
Earlier this week, Arshad was honoured with the Best Asian Athlete Award by Asian Athletics during an official ceremony in Gumi, further affirming his status as one of the continent’s leading athletes.
On the track, Pakistan is represented by sprinters Shajar Abbas and Mueed Baloch in the men’s 400-metre. Shajar, widely regarded as the fastest man in Pakistan, has demonstrated steady progress and aims to challenge the continent’s top runners. Mueed will add further strength to Pakistan’s sprinting hopes.
Solo but strong
In the women’s events, Tameen Khan is Pakistan’s sole female athlete, set to compete in the 100-metre sprint — highlighting the growing representation and promise of women in Pakistani athletics.
The Pakistan Athletics Federation has voiced confidence in the team, underlining a focus on competitiveness rather than mere participation. The federation remains hopeful of achieving podium finishes at the championship.
To date, Pakistan has secured a total of eight medals at the Asian Athletics Championship — comprising two gold, three silver, and three bronze. Meanwhile, China currently tops the overall medal table, with Japan in second place.
