Pakistani athletes made history at the Paris Olympics 2024, with Arshad Nadeem winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal since 1984. Read about their journey and achievements
The Paris Olympics 2024 was a momentous occasion for Pakistani athletes, marking the country’s nineteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics.
The Olympics are a symbol of excellence, perseverance, and international unity, bringing together the world’s top athletes to compete in various events.
For Pakistan, this year’s Olympics was a historic moment, with athletes making their mark in different sports.
Pakistan sent a total of 7 Athletes to the Paris Olympics. Which includes 4 men and 3 women.
| Sport | Men | Women | Total |
| Athletics | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Shooting | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Swimming | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 4 | 3 | 7 |
Men’s Javelin Throw : (Arshad Nadeem)
On 8 August in the final round of Javelin throw,Arshad Nadeem, a Pakistani athlete, made history by winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in 40 years in the men’s javelin final at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Nadeem’s throw of 92.97 meters set a new Olympic record. He defeated rival and reigning champion Neeraj Chopra, who took silver, and Anderson Peters, who won bronze.
Nadeem’s victory marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s sports landscape, and he has been hailed as a national hero, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulating him on his win.
Nadeem’s throw was Pakistan’s first individual gold medal, first track and field medal and the second time a South Asian has had a podium finish in track and field.
This monumental achievement marked Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal since 1984 and Nadeem’s first-ever Olympic medal. His victory sparked jubilation across Pakistan, with the nation hailing him as a hero and an inspiration to millions.
It also shattered the previous Olympic record of 90.57m, set by the Netherlands’ Andreas Thorkildsen at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
Arshad Nadeem dedicated his Medal to his parents and nation saying that this all has happened because of their prayers and support.
Women’s 100 meters sprint : (Faiqa Riaz)
Faiqa Riaz represented Pakistan in 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris on wild cards (universality places).She competed in the women’s 100m race, Faiqa used to be a field hockey player and used to play as a right-in and right-out. She also attended Pakistan’s hockey team camp for the Thailand tour in 2016. She then left hockey to focus exclusively on athletics.
She participated in the South Asian Junior Athletics Championships in Sri Lanka in 2018 which was her debut event. In 2023, Riaz became Pakistan’s fastest woman by winning the 100m race at the National Athletics Championship in Attock representing WAPDA.
The women’s 100 meters at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in four rounds at the Stade de France in Paris, France, on 2 and 3 August 2024. This was the twenty-third time that the women’s 100 meters has been contested at the Summer Olympics.
Unfortunately ranking 24th in the preliminary round, Faiqa could not qualify for the next round but her determination and hardwork is an example and motivation for women around the country.
Shooting : (Men & Women)
Shooting competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris took place from 27 July to 5 August 2024 at the National Shooting Centre in Châteauroux.
The number of shooters competing across fifteen events was reduced from 360 at the previous Games to 340, with an equal distribution between men and women.
Furthermore, several significant changes were instituted in the Olympic shooting program, including the new final format and the substitution of the mixed team trap competitions with the mixed team skeet.
Pakistan sent 3 shooters to compete in it, their respective names are Gulfam Joseph , Ghulam Mustafa Bashir and Kishmala Talat.
Starting with Gulfam Joseph competed in the Men’s 10’m air pistol on 27-28 july. Where he scored 571 points and got the 22nd rank so he did not qualify for the further round
Ghulam Mustafa Basir competed in the Men’s 25 m rapid fire pistol on the 4-5 August.Where he scored 581 points and got the 15th ranks he also couldn’t qualify for the next round.
Kishmala Talat won Pakistan’s first Asian Games medal in shooting at the 2022 Asian Games. She won silver medal in Asian Rifle/ Pistol Championship 2024 Jakarta, Indonesia became first woman in 77 years of history of Pakistan to get a direct berth to Olympics.
In the same event with his teammate Gulfam Joseph won the bronze medal in the mixed team event.
Kishamala Talat was participating in the Women’s 10m and 25m pistol, in 10m she scored 567 point and got the 31st rank and in 25m she scored a total of 579 point and got the 22nd rank
Gulam Joseph and Kishamala Talat also competed in the mixed 10 meter air pistol team. Which took place on 29-30 july where they scored a total of 571 points and ranked 14th. Unfortunately they couldn’t qualify for the next round.
Also Read : Vinesh Phogat Out Of Paris Olympics Over Weight, India Files Appeal
Swimming : ( Men and Women)
Pakistan sent two athletes to compete in swimming. One of them was Muhammad Ahmed Durrani, who competed in the Men’s 200m freestyle swimming which was held on 28-29 of July.
National record holder Durrani clocked a 1:58.67 to finish fourth in his heat and last overall, splitting 26.62, 29.21, 31.06 and 31.78.
He failed to match his previous best time of 1 minute and 55 seconds over 27.15, 29.33, 29.94 and 29.26 at the Malaysian Age Group Championships.
Jehanara Nabi was the second Pakistani swimmer for the Paris olympics. She has set multiple national records.She competed in the women’s 200 meter freestyle event at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Abu Dhabi.
She competed in the women’s 200 meter freestyle and women’s 400 meter freestyle events at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. She qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris on a wild card (universality places).
Nabi was the flag bearer for Pakistan alongside Arshad Nadeem at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
Jehanara Nabi competed in the Women’s 200 meter freestyle swimming, Which took place on 28-29 July where she clocked a time of 2:10.69 and was ranked 26. Unfortunately both of the swimmers were unable to qualify for the next round.
The Paris Olympics 2024 marked a historic moment for Pakistan, with Arshad Nadeem’s gold medal win in the men’s javelin throw being the highlight of the country’s participation.
Although the other athletes did not advance to the next rounds, their determination and hard work are a testament to the growing talent and potential in Pakistani sports.
As the nation celebrates Nadeem’s triumph, it also acknowledges the efforts of all the athletes who represented Pakistan on the global stage.
With this newfound momentum, Pakistan looks forward to continued success and growth in international sports, inspiring a new generation of athletes to strive for excellence.
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