Pakistan’s javelin star Arshad Nadeem pulls out of Lausanne Diamond league

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan's Olympic gold medal-winning javelin thrower, has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Lausanne Diamond League meet. The decision comes as he aims to prepare for the Asian Games in Japan. Nadeem's coach, Salman Butt, revealed that the star athlete will not participate in the Diamond League event as he wants to be at his best for the Asian Games. The Diamond League tournament will showcase top athletes like Neeraj Chopra, Julian Weber, and Anderson Peters.

Nadeem's omission from the event follows his ninth-place finish at the recent Commonwealth Games, where he failed to make the top eight. His performance was heavily criticized, with the javelin star even addressing the situation in a press conference, attributing his poor showing to the extremely cold weather in Glasgow. Nadeem, who won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics with an Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters, emphasized that he does not want to make excuses for his performance but acknowledged that the harsh conditions hindered his momentum and run-up.

The coach confirmed that several athletes struggled due to the unusual cold, resulting in numerous foul throws. Nadeem believes he has reconciled with his Commonwealth Games performance, as he is confident he can perform better.