"Will celebrate Independence Day with gold medal," says Arshad Nadeem

Pakistan ace javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem, expressed his wish to mark the country's 77th Independence Day on August 14 with a gold medal.

"It was my day, I could have thrown it [javelin] at a greater distance," he said in an interview with Geo News after clinching a gold medal for the country at the Paris Olympics 2024.

"I was in rhythm and was hopeful of winning the gold medal," he added.

"We [the entire nation] will celebrate 14th August with the gold medal."

Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a 92.97-metre massive javelin throw in his second attempt in the Summer Games on August 9.

The record was previously held by Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen, who made history at the 2008 Beijing Games.

This is the first-ever individual gold medal in the Olympics for Pakistan in 40 years. Earlier in 1984, Pakistan had won gold medals in hockey at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Pakistan also clinched an Olympic medal after a gap of 32 years. The last time Pakistan won a medal was in 1992 after beating the Netherlands in the hockey event (4-3) at the Barcelona Olympics.