Arshad to represent Pakistan at Commonwealth Games

KARACHI: The country’s leading javelin thrower and former Under-20 world No 3 Arshad Nadeem will be one of the two athletes who will represent Pakistan at the Commonwealth Games slated to be held in Gold Coast, Australia, from April 4-15.

“We have got a quota of one male and one female athlete for the Australia’s event. Our javelin thrower Arshad will definitely be there and it is yet to be decided who will be the female athlete. Very soon, the female entry will be finalised,” a senior official of Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) told ‘The News’.

The duo would be accompanied by a female official, the official informed.

Arshad is a great future prospect for Pakistan. Last year he claimed bronze in the South Asian Games in India that also helped him elevate to the world No 3 spot in the IAAF world rankings. He then also lifted bronze in the Asian Junior Championship in Vietnam last year.

It would be interesting to see how he performs at the major stage in Australia.

He had also been sent to Mauritius for a six-month training at the IAAF international academy earlier this year but he could not adjust and flew back.

Arshad was confident that he would pick a medal for Pakistan in the Australia’s competitions.

“Definitely, we need a medal at this stage and I will try to win it after doing some hard training,” Arshad told ‘The News’ on Saturday.

“More recently, when our camp for the National Games had been held in Islamabad, I had recorded 78.78 metres. I plan to take it to around 85m and if I succeed, I can win a medal,” the athlete said.

The 78.33m throw is Arshad’s best that had come in the South Asian Games in India last year.

His department WAPDA has also promoted him from Grade-9 to 16. “Yes, I have been promoted to Grade-16 and it’s good,” Arshad said.

In 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the gold medallist in the same event had recorded 83.87m, the silver medallist had inked 82.67m and 81.75m had been registered by the bronze medallist.