Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem on Thursday received Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the second-highest civilian award of Pakistan, for bringing laurels to the country in the recently-concluded Paris 2024 Olympics.
He won Pakistan’s first athletic gold medal with an Olympic record-breaking feat in the men’s javelin throw competition.
President Asif Ali Zardari bestowed the award on him during a ceremony at the President House in Islamabad.
The 40-year drought of a gold medal in Olympics for Pakistan ended with the javelin thrower’s achievement, despite his long struggle with lack of facilities, equipment and training.
Nadeem broke the Olympic record by throwing his javelin 92.97 meters away.
Over this achievement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 13 had announced to grant him Hilal-e-Imtiaz.
Nadeem has been showered with rewards since his victory on August 8, the day he claimed the gold. PM Shehbaz hosted a lavish dinner for the ace javelin thrower and announced a prize of Rs150 million.
Disclosing his plans for the 2028 Olympics, the prime minister had announced to establish a training centre inside the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad, which will be named “Arshad Nadeem High Performance Academy”.
Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif presented a cheque of Rs100 million and key of Honda Civic car with a number plate “PAK 92.97” to the Olympian. While, the Sindh government had given him a prize money of Rs50 million.
Several other private and government entities granted him cash prizes and other rewards for his making the nation proud on the world athletes map.
