LAHORE: Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) president Major General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi believes that the country’s premier javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has the capacity to manage a 95-metre throw.
“I see in Arshad 95 metres throw,” Sahi told The News in an interview.
“This is what I see and experts of javelin also believe that he can manage 95-metre throw,” Sahi was quick to add.
As a former international athlete he also believes that Arshad will need to overcome his flaws.
“I am not a javelin expert but being an athlete I know that Arshad becomes dead slow and remains in standing position when he releases the throw. He lacks speed and that is why he needs no effort to stop himself as he throws in standing position. If he boosts his run up and speed I believe he will attain the 95 metre target. I have told his coach Salman Butt and Arshad to remove this weakness,” Sahi pointed out.
After achieving a historic feat by becoming the first Pakistani athlete to win silver medal in the World Athletics Championship history in Budapest, Hungary, recently by managing 87.82 metre throw, Arshad will be looking to win gold in the 19th Asian Games slated to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8.
Arshad has been sent to his hometown Mian Channu for a couple of days and will resume training for the Asiad soon here at the Punjab Stadium under his coach Salman Butt. Sahi is confident that he will win gold in the Asian Games. “According to Arshad’s coach Salman Butt they got hardly two to three weeks for techniques work (throws).
You saw in the World Championship Arshad showed his fitness and he has no issue now. Now he will concentrate on his techniques and I am confident he will claim gold in the Asian Games,” Sahi said.
“Salman talked to his former South African coach during the World Championship. He is online with Salman. Before the global event Salman used to discuss with him and then would train Arshad accordingly. I personally talked to the German coach in Hungary during the World Championship. He is very keen as he knows that Arshad has the potential,” Sahi revealed.
“The German coach told me that I should send Arshad to Germany to train under him. I told him that I would like to send Arshad after the Asian Games. Salman is in contact with both these coaches. Arshad could not focus on throws due to fitness issues before the World Championship and now he will concentrate on the area and I reiterate that results in the Asian Games will be great,” Sahi said.
He also praised Pakistan No2 and Asian bronze medallist Mohammad Yasir Sultan, saying his name is also in the Asian Games–bound squad.
“We have also given the name of Mohammad Yasir for the Asian Games. I will also call his coach Fayyaz Bukhari to focus on Yasir as you know India fielded three javelin throwers in the World Championship,” he said.
He made it clear that the AFP could not send Yasir’s entry for the World Championship because he performed after the expiry of the entries timeline for the global event.
“I will try to encourage Yasir as he is also a gutsy boy and I hope he will also click in the Asian Games as we will compete with the Indians there,” Sahi said.
In order to make arrangements for Arshad’s training abroad after the Asian Games, Sahi plans to meet with the premier who also holds the portfolio of the IPC Minister.
“I plan to meet the premier and top officials of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) so that work could be started from now so that we could send Arshad abroad for training immediately after the Asian Games in order to prepare him for the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Sahi said.
It is expected that Yasir will also be sent abroad with Arshad. The two were sent to South Africa for training in the past.
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News
