ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem will bid for a second consecutive Commonwealth Games javelin title today, Friday, when he competes in the men's final in Glasgow, aiming to add another major international gold medal to his growing list of achievements.
Nadeem, who won Pakistan's first Commonwealth athletics gold medal in Birmingham in 2022 before becoming the country's first Olympic athletics champion at the Paris Games in 2024, qualified for Friday's final after registering a best throw of 78.63 meters in Thursday's qualification round.
"Arshad Nadeem qualifies for the Men's Javelin Throw Final at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after registering a throw of 78.63m in the qualification round, finishing 7th overall," the Pakistan Olympic Association said. "He will be back in action in the final tomorrow as he aims to bring more glory to Pakistan."
None of the athletes reached the automatic qualifying standard of 84 meters as strong headwinds limited distances throughout Thursday's competition, with the top 12 throwers advancing to the final based on their best attempts.
Nadeem, 29, secured his place in the medal round with an opening throw of 78.63m. He fouled his second attempt before finishing with 75.65m on his third, but his first effort proved sufficient to qualify.
The men’s javelin final is scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time.
Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage led the qualifiers with 82.84m, followed by Grenada's reigning world champion Anderson Peters with 81.29m. India's Neeraj Chopra, one of the pre-event favorites, advanced in fifth place with 79.61m, while Australia's Cameron McEntire qualified sixth with 78.91m.
Pakistan's Yasir Sultan failed to reach the final after finishing 14th with a best throw of 74.36m.
Pakistan has competed at every Commonwealth Games since 1954 and has won 82 medals, including 27 golds.
Nadeem is widely regarded as the country's strongest medal prospect in Glasgow, where Pakistan is represented by a 36-member contingent competing in athletics, boxing, swimming, gymnastics, judo and lawn bowls.
