DUBAI: Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has received the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award in the Global Breakthrough Athlete category at the World Sports Summit in Dubai.
Nadeem was honoured for his record-breaking performance at the Paris Olympics, where he threw 92.97 metres to win gold and set a new Olympic and world record, surpassing the previous mark held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen for 16 years. The victory marked Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in javelin throw.
Speaking after the ceremony, Nadeem said the award was a proud moment for him and for Pakistan, adding that international recognition would help inspire young athletes and bring greater attention to javelin throw in the country.
Nadeem said that his next goal is to win gold medals for Pakistan at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, saying a major sports award from the Dubai government has given him renewed confidence and motivation.
Speaking with Geo News in Dubai on the sidelines of the World Sports Summit, Arshad Nadeem thanked the Dubai government for honouring him with the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award, saying the recognition alongside global sports stars was a source of pride for Pakistan.
“The encouragement I have received here strengthens an athlete’s belief. Confidence and motivation are what a sportsman needs most,” Arshad Nadeem said, adding that such recognition plays a vital role in pushing athletes to aim higher.
Arshad Nadeem said he would begin formal training from January as part of preparations for the 2026 multi-sport events, stressing that he would compete with the clear objective of winning gold rather than just taking part.
Established in 2008, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award recognises outstanding sporting achievements and contributions worldwide. Nadeem was the only Pakistani athlete represented at this year’s summit, which gathered leading figures from the global sports industry.
