Arshad Nadeem Islamic Solidarity Games gold highlights Pakistan sweep

Pakistan enjoyed a dominant outing in the men’s javelin throw at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, where Arshad Nadeem Islamic Solidarity Games gold was secured as Arshad Nadeem successfully retained his title while Muhammad Yasir Sultan secured a well-deserved silver medal.

Arshad, widely regarded as the region’s premier javelin thrower, entered the seven-man final as the overwhelming favourite. His towering personal best of 92.97m — the mark that earned him Olympic gold and set a Games record in Paris 2024 — placed him far ahead of the rest of the competition.

From the opening round, Arshad stamped his authority on the event. He remained the only athlete to breach the 80m mark, though his visible frustration after several attempts suggested he was aiming for far more. Still, his second throw of 83.05m proved more than enough to clinch the gold medal once again in another Arshad Nadeem Islamic Solidarity Games gold moment.

The real battle unfolded for the remaining podium spots. Yasir Sultan, who had been trailing for most of the contest, produced a brilliant final-round effort. With his sixth and last attempt, he launched the javelin to 76.04m, edging past Nigeria’s Samuel Adams Kure by a margin of just three centimetres. Kure settled for bronze with 76.01m.

This victory marks Arshad’s second consecutive gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games. He had previously won the 2022 edition with an 88.55m throw, which had then set a new Games record.

For Pakistan, the event highlighted the nation’s growing strength in field athletics — with both of its representatives standing proudly on the podium.