LAHORE: Fresh from his triumphs at the Commonwealth Games and the Islamic Solidarity Games, Arshad Nadeem will finally begin treatment on his injured elbow and knees from next month.

Despite the nagging injuries, the javelin thrower broke records to clinch gold at both events this month and on Tuesday revealed that he will undergo surgery in England.

“The target is to resume training by March-April next year,” the 25-year-old told a news conference alongside Athletics Federation of Pakistan president retired Maj Gen Akram Sahi.

Once done with the treatment, Arshad — who became only the second Asian to throw the javelin past the 90m mark during his Commonwealth triumph — reiterated he will continue his bid to set the javelin world record.

“I’ll try my best to improve my technique further and for it, I will need world-class coaching on modern lines,” he said.

Arshad praised Sahi and his coaches Arshad Saqi, Salman Butt and Fayyaz Bukhari. It was his namesake who unearthed his raw talent in Mian Chunnu, persuading him to quit tape-ball cricket and focus on the javelin.

Sahi, meanwhile, confirmed that Arshad and sprinter Shajar Abbas, who reached the 200m final at the Commonwealths, would be sent abroad for training.

The AFP is not affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association after four of the country’s track and field athletes returned positive dope tests at the South Asian Games in 2019.

“It is the AFP, whose membership was suspended by the POA, which has earned medals for Pakistan,” said Sahi, who alleged that the POA had failed to get the accreditation for Arshad’s coach Salman Butt at the Commonwealths.

The POA had already dispelled the impression, claiming the required documents of Salman were not sent by the Pakistan Sports Board to it by the deadline set by the Games organisers.

“The AFP had set a target some 10 years ago to produce an athlete who would earn gold medal at international events and now we are working on our Vision 2030 plan,” said Sahi.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2022