LAHORE: Pakistan’s premier javelin thrower and Olympian Arshad Nadeem on Monday said that he feels well recovered from his injury and hopes he will be able to manage a fine throw in the World Athletics Championships next month.
“I am feeling well now and if my knee backs me then I will be able to pull off a good throw in the World Championships,” Arshad told The News in a chat here.
He is preparing for the World Athletics Championships which will be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19-27.
Arshad is the only athlete who will be representing Pakistan in the global event. After recovering from elbow and left knee injuries following surgery in London last year, Arshad injured his right knee at the 34th National Games in Quetta in May which also forced him to miss the 25th Asian Athletics Championship held recently in Bangkok.
And there was doubt about his participation in the World Championships as well but the Commonwealth Games gold medallist has begun full-fledged training here at the PSB Coaching Centre and now feels fit for the global event.
“I have been training for the last seven days and now I feel much better,” Arshad said.
Arshad is yet to attempt any big throw but he is working on skills and plans to manage throws with full force in the days to come.
“I have focused on developing skills and enhance my techniques. I will also attempt throws with full force but you know there are constant rains here. Once the weather gets better then it will give me a chance to do that,” Arshad said.
He said that he is also working on physical fitness, doing gym work, swimming and running. Arshad is a big hope for Pakistan in the World Championships if he achieves top fitness ahead of the global event which will see the world’s top lot competing.
Arshad, who is ranked fifth in the world, finished fifth in the last World Championships in Oregon, US, last year with a throw of 86.16 metre. Grenada’s Anderson Peters claimed gold in that event with a throw of 90.50m. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra finished with silver with a throw of 88.13m and Jakub Wadlejch of Czech Republic, with a throw of 88.09, claimed bronze. Germany’s Julian Weber finished fourth with a throw of 86.86.
This will be the first time since July-August last year that Arshad will be competing in the international circuit. He pulled off his personal best throw of 90.18m in Birmingham last year to win a record gold in the Commonwealth Games.
After a few days, he managed an 88.55m throw in the Islamic Games in Turkey to secure gold. However, after this double gold he underwent knee and elbow surgeries in London. He is now recovered from those injuries. His right knee injury was a matter of some concerns but the athlete says it has also been healed now.
“My right knee injured in the National Games has also recovered a lot and its rehab is also being done at the same time,” Arshad said.
Asked whether he still feels some fear in his mind that his injury may recur if he attempts a big throw, Arshad said this issue will also be addressed as the time progresses. “Yes, there is a sort of fear that my injury may recur but as the time progresses this fear will also end inshaAllah,” he said.
Arshad said that he still has sufficient time at his disposal and he will prepare well for the global event.
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News