Ace Javelin thrower and Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem shared a ‘golden moment’ after meeting former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov on the sidelines of the World Sports Summit.
The two-day summit took place on December 29-30, bringing together over 1,500 athletes, sports leaders, and policymakers to discuss the future of the industry under the theme “Uniting the World Through Sport.” Nadeem shared the update on his social media account. “Meeting Khabib at the World Sports Summit,” he wrote. Earlier in the day, he also met FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who inquired about the distance of the record throw. “It was a 92-metre throw, and now I want to break that record,” Nadeem told the football chief. During the event, Arshad Nadeem was conferred with the ‘Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award’ in the Global Breakthrough Athlete category here at the World Sports Summit.
Nadeem was honoured with the award on the back of his landmark triumph at the Paris Olympics, where he ended up with a gold medal after a record-breaking throw of 92.97 metres. With that throw, Arshad broke Pakistan’s gold medal jinx at the Olympics, marking the country’s first in 40 years.
Following the accolade, Nadeem expressed pride in the achievement, noting that the award would encourage emerging athletes in nurturing the sport in Pakistan. “Alhamdulillah. Honored to receive the Global Breakthrough Athlete Award at the World Sports Summit in Dubai. This prestigious award was presented by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” Arhsad wrote on his Instagram handle. “Sincere thanks to the Dubai Sports Council for the kind invitation and warm hospitality.”
Thankful for the unwavering support, prayers, and encouragement from everyone who stood by me throughout this journey,” Arshad added. “Proud to represent Pakistan on the global stage,” he concluded with gratitude. It is pertinent to mention that the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award recognises exceptional sporting achievements and contributions worldwide.