Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem competes within the males’s javelin throw remaining throughout the World Athletics Championships on the Nationwide Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 27, 2023. — AFP
Pakistan’s javelin ace Arshad Nadeem stated on Wednesday that he has focused a 100m throw on the Asian Athletics Championship, scheduled to be held in Korea from Might 27 to 31.
The Olympic gold-medalist, who’s coaching rigorously on the Punjab Stadium, vowed to present his greatest within the upcoming match, for which he’s set to depart on Thursday.
“I will leave tomorrow for the Asian Athletics Championships. I will try to perform well at the event,” stated Nadeem.
“I am targeting a 100-meter throw, and I’m working hard, and by the will of Almighty Allah, I will achieve it one day,” he added.
Nadeem additionally shared his post-Asian Athletics Championship plans, stating that he’ll depart for England after Eid-ul-Adha to arrange for the World Athletics Championship, alongside coach Salman Butt.
Nadeem was then probed about Indian counterpart Neeraj Chopra’s latest remarks, wherein the latter claimed that he doesn’t share an in depth bond with the Olympic gold-medalist regardless of exhibiting camaraderie previously.
“First, I would like to clarify that I don’t have a very strong relationship with Arshad. We were never really close friends or anything. But because of this [recent conflict], it will not be like before,” Chopra had stated.
“I never had a very deep friendship with him, but we were always respectful toward each other,” he added.
“Yes, as athletes, we have to talk. I have good friends from the athletics community all over the world — not just in javelin, but in other events too,” he defined.
In response, Nadeem denied commenting on Chopra’s remarks, citing the at present tense diplomatic relationship between Pakistan and India.
“I don’t want to talk about it because of the situation between Pakistan and India. I always stand with the Pakistan Army,” Nadeem stated.
The 28-year-old, nevertheless, congratulated Chopra for breaching the 90-metre barrier for the primary time in his glittering profession when he clinched silver on the Diamond League in Doha final week.
