Gold medalist Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lahore: Passionate celebrations by fans and an emotional reunion with his family marked the return of Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, after his flight touched base here on Sunday accompanied by water cannon salute.
It was a welcome befitting a national hero as thousands of fans cheered and jostled to get a glimpse of Nadeem, who won the javelin throw gold after finding a distance of 92.97m at the Paris Games.
Upon his arrival, Nadeem embraced his mother, father and elder brother as they garlanded him during an emotional reunion inside the state lounge at the Allama Iqbal international airport.
Later, he also met his other family members and some villagers, who travelled all the way from his home town of Mian Channu in the rural Khanewal area of Punjab Province.
Once Nadeem and his family reached the exit gate of the terminal people, who were carrying placards and posters, rushed to garland him and tried to hoist him on their shoulders.
The rush, in fact, forced the security officials to take him back to the state lounge.
The fans were waiting near the arrival terminal of the airport from 9 PM local time although his flight was scheduled to land around 1.29 AM early morning from Istanbul.
A drove of government ministers and officials were also present at the state lounge to greet and garland Nadeem.
Nadeem bagged Pakistan’s first gold medal since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games where the country crowned champions in the hockey competition.
Nadeem is also the first track and field athlete from Pakistan to clinch the Olympic gold medal.