Arshad’s coach confident he will win Olympic medal

KARACHI: Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari, coach of javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, on Tuesday said that he is confident that Arshad would clinch a medal in the next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

“Arshad has managed a 86.29m throw. It means that we are in the 90 bloc and any time we can manage 90metre plus throw. All three medals are in this bloc,” Bukhari told ‘The News’ in an interview from Lahore.

“Our plan is that we should go into Olympics by doing our best throw here during training. If we manage our best in training so we will make it sure that we manage a 90m plus throw in Olympics,” the coach said.

Bukhari said that Arshad is a fast learner. “This is a plus point. His mind tallies with my mind and whatever I tell him he picks it quickly,” said Bukhari, also a WAPDA coach.

“After the throw he tells me about his feelings that he had during the throw. Sometimes during the throw an athlete uses a lot of power but still falls much short of his target and sometimes an athlete does not use power but manages a huge throw,” said Bukhari, who accompanied Arshad during the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia in 2018 where he claimed a bronze medal.

Arshad qualified for Olympics with an 86.29m throw during the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal last year.

When asked if Arshad needed foreign training, Bukhari said: “I don’t interfere in anyone’s affairs. I can tell you about my own experience. Arshad came to me in the final part of 2014. I lifted him from 56m and took him to the peak.

“What I know is that we are in the 90 bloc and he can achieve 90 plus any time. If he goes abroad and throws 86 and 87 it will mean that he is still in the same bloc. If it is hundred percent confirmed that we are to manage 95 metre or so then foreign training will be better,” Bukhari said.

He urged the government not to ignore Arshad “as he is a national asset and needs proper care. Arshad is being ignored by the government. The government officials should be in contact with the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) and coaches because the medal which Arshad would get would be for the nation,” Bukhari said.

He requested the government to hold a camp within one and a half month so that they could resume their proper training.

When asked how Arshad kept himself fit during the lockdown, he said: “Lockdown was not only for us but for all the world. I understand that he trains but being a coach I take him from zero. He follows my instructions. During the lockdown I was in touch with him and did whatever I could.

“But one thing is clear that in a lockdown one cannot train the way one does at the stadium. He trained lightly to keep himself fit and if we get even eight months I am confident he will deliver his best,” Bukhari added.

“Two days ago I went to Mian Channu to meet him as it is my responsibility. I have told him that he has to win a medal and has to prepare his mind for that. I will not leave any stone unturned while looking after Arshad,” Bukhari said.

Responding to a question, Bukhari said that coaches would have to come out of their shells and think for the national cause. “Our youngsters need good teachers. If a teacher wants to serve a national cause he can transfer his expertise to the athletes and make them precious assets for the country,” he said.

Bukhari said that an athlete needs diet according to his body situation and training requirement. “A good coach knows about the requirements. It is the responsibility of the coach to manage everything for his athlete,” he said.