Arshad training in hometown for Asian C’ships

KARACHI: The 2018 Asian Games bronze medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has started training at his hometown in Mian Channu to prepare for the Asian Championships which will be held in Doha from April 21-24.

“I have been training on regular basis for the last ten days at Mian Channu’s Primary School pitch. But let me make it clear that this is not the level of training through which I could fight in the Asian Championships,” Arshad told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

“I don’t have the sort of equipment which is needed for quality training. But you know there was no camp so I thought I should do something on my own to keep myself fit. I work on the programme which is given to me by my WAPDA coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari,” said Arshad, who finished with a bronze medal in the Asian Games last year in Indonesia.

This was after 27 years that Pakistan won a medal in the Asia’s biggest event in athletics.Arshad wants athletics governing body (AFP) to hold a camp for the Asian Championships as soon as possible. “For better results in the continental event I will need at least two months quality training. Any further delay in holding camp may hurt my chances,” said former IAAF Under-20 World No3.

Exuding confidence, Arshad added if he was given two months training ahead of the Asian Championships he could fight for gold in the continental event in Doha.“I can fight for gold if I get a couple of months training,” the South Asian Games and Asian Junior Championships bronze medallist said.

“India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is training in South Africa these days. For constant growth you need quality training,” the athlete said.Chopra claimed gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games with a throw of 88.06m. China’s Liu Qizhen with a 82.22m effort finished with silver, while Arshad ended third with a 80.75m throw.

Arshad said he was targeting 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “My target is 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I want not only to qualify but also win medal in it,” Arshad said.Asian Championships will be followed by the World Championships also to be held in Doha, in September and October.

Both Asian Championships and World Championships will be conducted at the international Al-Khalifa Stadium.A few days ago the AFP president Major General (retd) Akram Sahi told ‘The News’ in an interview from Quetta that he would try his best to send Arshad abroad for training ahead of the World Championships.

Arshad was seen in his best element when he qualified for the finals of the 2018 Commonwealth Games with an 80.45m throw at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia, last year. However, injury in the finals and the absence of a coach with him on the tour prevented him from impressing in the finals.