After his historic performance in the Paris Olympics in 2024, Arshad Nadeem, the superstar javelin thrower who ultimately put an end to Pakistan’s 40-year gold medal drought with a throw of 92.97 meters, a new world record, was greeted with hero status upon his return.
Nadeem was received at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport by high-ranking authorities, including the provincial and federal ministers, the Olympic hero’s family, and a large number of his fans.
Turkish Airlines flight TK-174, which took off 27 minutes later than scheduled from Istanbul Airport and arrived at the Lahore airport at 1:25, took the athlete home.
The airplane took a standard path and arrived Lahore via Karachi and Balochistan, according to officials with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. The flight from Istanbul to Lahore took five hours and twenty-three minutes.
The plane carrying the national hero was greeted at the airport with a water cannon salute per the orders of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Nadeem was greeted at the airport by Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister Youth Program Chairman Rana Mashhood, State Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, and Khawaja Saad Rafique, who spoke on behalf of the government.
In an interview with reporters at the airport, Nadeem expressed his gratitude to Allah for his outstanding performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. In addition, he expressed gratitude to the country for its honor and respect toward him.
“Allah brought me to this position because of the nation’s and his parents’ prayers,” he continued.
