Arshad Nadeem’s historic victory in the men’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics has etched Pakistan’s name in the record books. His gold medal, the first ever track and field medal for the country, also marks the first individual gold in Pakistan’s Olympic history. This remarkable achievement has catapulted Pakistan to the 62nd position in the medal tally, placing it ahead of India despite the latter winning six medals. This is because the Olympic ranking prioritizes gold medals.
While India holds the joint second-best overall medal performance in this Summer Olympics, just one shy of their Tokyo 2020 tally, Pakistan’s gold medal has secured them a higher position in the ranking. The last time Pakistan surpassed India in the Olympic medal table was in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. India failed to secure any medals in Barcelona, while Pakistan bagged a bronze medal in men’s hockey, resulting in a joint 54th position in the final standings. Nadeem’s triumph is a testament to the rising sportsmanship in Pakistan and serves as a source of pride for the nation.
