Arshad Nadeem still at home as Chopra begins training in US

KARACHI: Indian star javelin thrower and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has started training in the US. He will train for 90 days to prepare for the next year’s World Championship, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. But Pakistani star thrower Arshad Nadeem is at his home. So far the authorities have not been able to hold a camp.

Any more delay in holding a camp may minimise Arshad’s chances of securing medals in the next year’s three vital assignments. When this correspondent asked a senior official of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), he said that in a few days camp will be held for him. “We are going to hold an internal meeting soon and inshaAllah by the end of this month a camp will be held for him,” the official said.

He said that effort is being made to send him abroad or a coach will be managed for him who will guide him virtually. “We will soon make some decisions,” the official said. When told it is getting too late as since Olympics Arshad has not trained. “Yes we feel this and a camp is necessary as soon as possible. We will try to interact with the government,” the official said.

The government has already told the AFP to hold a camp for Arshad. However, it is not yet known how the govrenment will back the camp. The AFP’s plan to send Arshad to South Africa seems to have been hit by the emergence of new coronavirus variant omicron.

Chopra also wanted to train in South Africa but reversed his plan and now he is in the US whcih will host the World Championship next summer. An athletics expert told ‘The News’ that further delay in holding a camp for Arshad will reduce his medal chances in major events.

Arshad shot to fame when he finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics. Arshad got bronze in the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games. He is capable to win medals in the World Championship, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.