Pak athletics squad reaches Hangzhou

LAHORE: Pakistan’s top two javelin throwers Arshad Nadeem and Mohammad Yasir Sultan reached Hangzhou on Wednesday to feature in the 19th Asian Games athletics event.

Both the athletes did light warm-up on Wednesday at the training zone which is adjacent to the Olympic Stadium which will be hosting the athletics event slated to begin on Friday (tomorrow).

The men’s javelin throw event will be held on October 4. “Yes, we reached at 1pm local time today,” a senior official of Pakistan’s athletics squad told The News from Hangzhou. “Soon after we reached here Arshad and Yasir did some warm-up. They are in perfect position and so are the rest of the athletes,” the official said.

The official also attended the technical committee meeting. As many as three officials are accompanying the athletics squad. The world sliver medallist Arshad Nadeem is the biggest hope of Pakistan in the quadrennial event.

He had snared bronze in the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games. His recent silver medal-winning stint in the World Championship in Hungary has further boosted his hopes. His main rival will be the world and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India.

Yasir, on the other hand, has also prepared well and will be a real threat for the top Pak-India duo. Yasir recently claimed bronze in the Asian Championship in Bangkok and has the capability not only to snare a medal in Hangzhou but he also has a great chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Coach Fayyaz Bukhari will handle these javelin throwers during the event.