Arshad, Yasir eye medals in Gumi
Olympic Gold medallist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan once again is determined to be at the podium in the Asian Athletics Championships. PHOTO: REUTERS
Pakistan will have a great chance of winning two medals at the Asian Athletics Championship 2025 javelin throw final on Saturday as Olympian Arshad Nadeem and the 2023 Asian bronze-medallist Muhammad Yasir Sultan will compete in the final after their stellar performances in the qualifying round on Friday morning in Gumi, South Korea.
Arshad Nadeem was undoubtedly the biggest name competing in the Championship, while Paris Olympics silver medallist India's Neeraj Chopra was absent from the event.
Arshad, the 28-year-old, who not only won the Olympic gold medal in Paris but also created an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 metres, was making his international comeback in the qualifying round of the Asian Championship.
He was slotted in Group A, while Yasir competed in Group B of the qualifying round.
Arshad qualified for the final with a throw of 86.34m, in his first and only attempt. The final will take place on Saturday at 13:10 Pakistan time.
His was a leading throw, whereas Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage came closest to him on the leaderboard with a throw of 83.71 m overall, and Japan's Yuta Sakiyama was the third best with an 81.36m-throw.
"Thanks to your prayers I have qualified for the final of the Asian Athletics Championship," Arshad said in his social media post addressing his fans and Pakistani nation after the qualifying round.
"I am always grateful for your endless support, my final is at 1:10 pm, so I request your prayers for me to succeed and make Pakistan proud and raise our flag higher. Pakistan Zindabad."
This is Arshad's first appearance after the Paris Olympics and he has trained for the Asian Athletics Championships in Lahore with his coach Salman Butt.
Rising star Yasir to defend his bronze
On the other hand, Yasir, who bagged the bronze medal in the last Asian Athletics Championship edition, is looking to improve his throw on Saturday.
His personal best performance on the international stage has been 79.93m, which he delivered in Bangkok at the Asian Championships two years ago.
In Gumi, he qualified for the final in his first attempt of 76.07m throw. He will aim to cross the 80m barrier in the final.
"The thing is, we have been doing good throws in training before this, and God willing, we hope that we will have good throws in tomorrow's final and it will bring honor to our country," Yasir's coach and mentor Fiaz Bokhari, who was also the former coach and mentor of Arshad, told this correspondent on the eve of the final.
Yasir and Arshad will be among 12 competitors looking for a podium finish on Saturday.
"Secondly, you may remember that last year Yasir came third in the Asian Championship Throwing in Bangkok, he threw 79.93 meters. This time, I hope he will throw his best because we have been throwing well in training.
"This is my second student who will cross the 80m-barrier after Arshad," added Bokhari, who has previously helped Arshad become the first Pakistani track and field athlete to qualify for the Olympics directly in 2019. He then led Arshad to the Toyko Olympics as well.
"Our target is Olympic qualification, so that we can pass the Olympic qualification and go to the Olympics. Since the World Athletics Championships are being held at the end of this year before the Olympics, we are trying to qualify there as well in Bangkok."
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