Pakistan’s top javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem will be in action during the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday.
37 athletes have been divided in two groups for the qualifying round tomorrow, with Nadeem in Group B. World number one Jakub Vadlejch is also in Nadeem’s group.
Meanwhile, India’s Neeraj Chopra is in Group A of the qualifying stage.
The qualifying round in Group A will begin at 1:10pm (Pakistan Standard Time) with Group B to kickstart at 2:45pm.
Automatic qualifying mark for the final is 83 metres or at least the top 12.
The final of javelin throw will be held on Sunday, August 27.
It must be noted that Nadeem had departed for Hungary, with his coach Salman Butt, in the wee hours of Sunday.
Nadeem shot to fame when he finished fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, a feat which changed the entire life of the athlete. It not only fetched him fame and wealth but also transformed his personality.
Nadeem then also finished fifth in the World Championship in the US last year. Soon afterwards he recorded his best throw of 90.18 metre in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which is also a record throw of the quadrennial event.
He then underwent elbow and left knee surgery in London, took time in his rehab and returned to competitive field in May in the 34th National Games in Quetta.
Although he failed to show his fitness there he managed a gold for his department WAPDA. In this event he received a heavy blow when he injured his right knee which later forced him to skip the Asian Championship held in Bangkok recently.
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.
