PARIS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Arshad Nadeem's journey to becoming Pakistan's latest sporting sensation began not with a javelin in hand, but with a cricket ball.
Growing up in a modest farming village, Nadeem initially showed promise as a fast bowler. Like many youngsters in Pakistan, he dreamed of wearing the green national team shirt and emulating his idol Shoaib Akhtar.
But fate had different plans, setting him on a path that would see him shatter records and make history at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Nadeem's transition from cricket to javelin was neither immediate nor conventional. It was his high school coach, Rasheed Ahmad Saqi, who first recognized the untapped potential in the young athlete, noting his natural strength and formidable physique, traits well-suited for the javelin throw.
"People think my technique is more like a fast bowler than a javelin thrower," Nadeem said after he clinched Pakistan's first gold medal of the Paris Games on Thursday with an on Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters.
"But I am happy with this action and the run-up I use. That is because of my early strength as a fast bowler."
In 2016, Nadeem made the pivotal decision to focus exclusively on javelin. It was a choice that would redefine his life and elevate him to the ranks of Pakistan's sporting legends.
Even though his prodigious talent was evident from the outset, the road to Olympic glory was anything but smooth. A serious knee injury threatened to derail his career, casting doubt on whether he would ever fulfill his potential at the highest level.
But Nadeem's resilience and unwavering commitment saw him through the difficult period of recovery.
"I recovered from injury and worked hard on my fitness, which allowed me to get to where I am today," he said.
Nadeem's performance in Paris was nothing short of extraordinary. In addition to his Olympic record throw, the 27-year-old became the first athlete to surpass 90 meters twice in an Olympic javelin final.
His achievement sparked celebrations across Pakistan, a nation that had never before won an athletics medal at the Olympics.
Among those to send congratulatory messages was Akhtar.
"Out of nowhere, this son of a lion has won Pakistan a gold medal," the cricketing great said in a video posted on social media.
"What a man you are, Arshad. You have achieved this on your own, with your own hard work and caliber. Many congratulations to you Arshad, and the whole of Pakistan. The entire mood of the country has changed with one gold medal. Just because of one guy, Arshad, has got Pakistan trending across the whole world."
Nadeem expressed gratitude for the support from his homeland, which he said had provided him with added strength in Paris.
"I am thankful to the nation. Everyone prayed for me, and I was hopeful I could win it for them," he said.
Despite his newfound fame, Nadeem remains deeply connected to his roots. The humble beginnings in a farming village serve as a constant reminder of the values that have shaped him.
"Every time I win a medal, I think about my origins and that motivates me to do better," he said.
It is this grounded perspective that continues to drive him forward, even as he sets his sights on surpassing his own records in the future. "I will continue to work hard and give my best in the days and months to come. I am planning to throw beyond this mark as well." ■
