CWG 2022: Arshad Nadeem’s coach promises to shower love on Neeraj Chopra after wins – He is also like our son

Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem’s coach Syed Hussain Bukhari said that he wishes to see Arshad and India’s Neeraj Chopra compete in front of a packed stadium in either Islamabad or Lahore.

On Sunday, August 7, Nadeem won the gold medal in the men’s javelin in the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games.

Nadeem pulled off a 90.18-metre throw and became the first South Asian to breach the 90m mark. Chopra, who won the silver medal in the World Athletics Championships last month, pulled out of the CWG after sustaining an injury.

Bukhari, in the meantime, said that he would shower Chopra with loads of love and wishes if the Indian wins any tournament going forward.

“Most of the time, Arshad trains at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad and Lahore too, my wish is to see Arshad and Neeraj compete at a packed stadium in Lahore or Islamabad. Neeraj is also like our son.

I as a Pakistani promise you that if Neeraj wins, we will shower him the same love we showered on Milkha Singh Ji when he won against Abdul Khaliq in Lahore in 1960. Athletes share a common bond of love for the sports,”

Bukhari also said that Nadeem’s rise in the world of athletics has motivated youngsters to take up the sport of javelin. He also reckoned that the impact of Arshad’s performance in Pakistan could be the same as Chopra’s in India when the Indian won gold in Tokyo last year.

“After Arshad’s Asian Games bronze and Tokyo Olympics qualification topping, I can say I get to see 30-40 javelin throwers in almost each training ground in Lahore.

In recent months, I have seen youth coming from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and from near the Pakistan-China border areas come to enquire about trials at Lahore. What Neeraj did for India, Arshad’s Olympic participation and today’s record can do the same in Pakistan,” he added.