Arshad Nadeem, who won a gold medal in javelin throw at the recently concluded Paris Games, said Pakistani female athletes should be provided with modern facilities so that they can perform at the highest level. Nadeem has been showered with cash prizes, cars and other gifts worth around Rs280 million since returning home with Pakistan’s first gold at the Olympics since 1984. Recently, the Punjab governor on Saturday gave her a cash prize of Rs2 million and a car.
But beyond such personal gifts, Nadeem wanted the government to fulfill his requests for a modern track and field stadium and a university for women in his hometown of Mian Channu.
“We are in dire need of facilities for women and even men to pursue higher education in our area and the best facilities must be given to young athletes nowadays,” Nadeem said on ARY news channel.
Nadeem, who appeared on the show with his wife Rashida, was also asked about the buffalo gifted to him by his father-in-law when he won the Olympic gold medal.
The 27-year-old responded in a humorous manner. He said with a smile, “I was a bit surprised by this announcement and I thought that since my father-in-law is a very rich man and has a lot of land… I wish he had given me 4-5 acres of agricultural land in exchange for the buffalo.”
Rashida said she was aware of Nadeem’s injury problem before the Olympics but kept it hidden from other family members.
“When he went for the Games, I could not sleep for three days and I just kept praying that he stays fit and returns with a gold medal,” she said.
Nadeem’s long-term coach Salman Butt said the top javelin thrower will return to training within a month as he faces the tough task of living up to people’s expectations.
“Arshad knows he has to work hard to maintain his position as there is tough competition in javelin throw at the international level,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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