Arshad Nadeem Makes Forbes 30 Under 30 After Olympic Gold and Historic Wins
- Abeera Marium Siddiqui
- June 18, 2025
- 9:25 am
- 38
- Trending
Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s celebrated javelin thrower, has earned global recognition once again. He has secured a place on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2025 in the Entertainment & Sports category. This list honors the most promising young leaders and changemakers across the continent. Arshad Nadeem made the cut after an extraordinary year marked by record-breaking performances and national pride.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, he shocked the world by winning Pakistan’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medal. His phenomenal throw of 92.97 meters broke the existing Olympic record. Forbes described the moment as a “stunning show.” It was not just a personal victory, but a national one too—ending a 30-year Olympic medal drought for the country.
In response to his success, the Punjab and Sindh governments awarded him over Rs153 million in cash prizes. The federal government and several private sponsors also offered tributes. A road in Islamabad was renamed in his honor, and Pakistan Post issued a commemorative stamp to celebrate his achievement on Independence Day.
But Nadeem didn’t slow down. He clinched another gold medal at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships with a powerful throw of 86.40 meters. Though just shy of the meet record, the throw earned Pakistan its first gold in the competition in over 50 years.
His rise began with a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. He followed that up with a silver at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Over the years, he has also claimed medals at the Asian Games, Islamic Solidarity Games, South Asian Games, and more.
Arshad Nadeem has now become a symbol of hope for future generations of Pakistani athletes. He continues to train in England for the World Athletics Championships in September—the only major event where he hasn’t yet won gold.
