Pakistan’s javelin stars delivered a night to remember in Riyadh as Arshad Nadeem clinched another international gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games.
Competing at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Arshad entered the final as the runaway favourite — and he showed exactly why. The Olympic champion remained unchallenged throughout the seven-man contest, sealing gold with an 83.05m throw on his second attempt, a distance no rival could match as none crossed the 80m mark.
“I’m quite happy because I won this accolade right after my injury,” Arshad said. “I thank God for letting me return to this level and congratulate the nation on this win. Now my focus is on preparing for competitions in 2026.”
Arshad Nadeem’s return to the top of the podium is a major boost after his battles with injuries and off-field coaching drama.
The spotlight also shone on Muhammad Yasir, who clinched silver. Locked in bronze position for much of the night behind Nigeria’s Samuel Kure, Yasir produced a clutch final throw of 76.04m, edging past Kure’s 76.01m by just three centimetres.
With Arshad’s gold and Yasir’s silver, Pakistan’s tally at the Games rose to four medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), following earlier boxing bronzes from Fatima Zahra and Qudrat Ullah.
For now, Pakistan celebrates a golden night in Saudi Arabia — one defined by resilience, national pride, and a javelin star who refuses to stop inspiring.