LAHORE: Arshad Nad­eem is banking on his fitness and preparations to end Pakistan’s over three-decade-long Olympic med­al drought at the Paris Games.

Pakistan have not bagged a medal of any colour since the 1992 Olym­pics but its star javelin thrower stressed on Tuesday that “he will try his best” for a pod­i­um finish in the French capital.

“I’m fit and well-prepa­red and I’ve worked rea­lly hard for this prestigious ev­e­nt,” he told reporters be­­f­ore his departure to Paris. “I feel I can achieve my goal of winning a medal.”

The 27-year-old will compete in the qualification round on August 6 with the final scheduled two days later.

Arshad, who will be Pak­istan’s flag-bearer at the Olympics, is the nati­on’s leading hope after having won gold at the Com­mon­wealth Games two years ago. He finished runner-up at the World Athl­etics Championship a year later and will renew his cross-border rivalry with India’s Neeraj Chopra in Paris.

“I will continue my training in Paris to bring further improvement before competing in the event and if every thing go to plan, I will get a medal for the country at the Olympics,” added Arshad. “Yes, the target is high but my ambitions are also high and I am feeling in great shape to deliver and make the nation proud.”

Arshad finished fifth at the last edition of the Gam­es in Tokyo in 2021, after becoming the first athlete from Pakistan to qualify for the Games, stressed, however, that the country needs more venues for athletes to train.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2024