Arshad wants to resume training at Lahore after Ramazan

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem wants to resume training at Lahore after Ramazan.“Yes it has been long since I have stopped training and am keen to resume it after Eid if the authorities manage a camp for me at Lahore along with my coach Imtiaz Hussain Bukhari,” Arshad told The News on Tuesday.

Arshad has qualified for the next year’s Tokyo Olympics through a great throw of 86.29 metre which he had managed during the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal last year.“I feel that I can manage training as I can keep social distancing and take care of myself. But you know I need training for Olympics and if the situation eases out I will resume it as soon as possible,” Arshad said.

“Currently I am undergoing light training at my village just to keep myself fit. But in Ramazan this is not that good and I am looking forward and plan to resume full training after Eid if it is possible,” Arshad said.

Arshad was undergoing training at Lahore with his coach Bukhari but it was cut short due to countryside lockdown.Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has already planned for sending Arshad abroad for training as soon as the situation gets better as half of the world is under lockdown.

Arshad is among the five Pakistani players who have so far qualified for Olympics which will now be held next summer after one-year postponement due to COVID-19 outbreak.

The others are three shooters and am Australia-based horse rider. Pakistan is yet to appear in a handful of other disciplines in the Olympics qualifiers. Judoka Shah Hussain has also achieved continental quota.