Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem to skip Diamond League meet in Lausanne

Pakistan’s Olympic gold-medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem will skip the Diamond League meet in Lausanne this month to focus on preparing for another international event and the Asian Games in Japan this year.

Arshad’s long-time coach, Salman Butt, said the javelin thrower was presently training in Lahore but would soon leave for South Africa, where he will train for a few weeks under his coach, Terseus Liebenberg, and local trainers.

“He has decided against competing in the Diamond League meet this month as he wants to be ready for the Asian Games,” Butt said.

Arshad didn’t qualify for the top eight in the finals of the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage eventually took the top spot with a throw of 89.75 metres, while India’s Neeraj Chopra and Yash Vir Singh took the second and third spots respectively.

It was the first time two Indians had featured on the javelin throw podium after a final.

Arshad was scheduled to compete in the Lausanne Diamond League on August 21 along with other big stars, including Chopra, Julian Weber and Anderson Peters.

However, he will now miss the competition and travel to South Africa for a training camp.

The 28-year-old will train in Potchefstroom for two weeks, a venue where he has previously completed two training stints ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2024 Olympics, where he won gold medals.

After his training stint in South Africa, Arshad is expected to compete at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, to take place in Budapest from September 6 to 14. He will then participate in the Asian Games.

Butt said Arshad was just waiting for his visa to leave for South Africa.

This year, Arshad has struggled in two international meets and came in for sharp criticism after finishing ninth in the CWG finals.