Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem finished fourth in the men’s javelin throw at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya on Monday.
Arshad struggled to reproduce his best form during the competition. He opened with a throw of 76.69 metres before fouling his second attempt.
He managed 80.29 metres on his third throw but fouled each of his final three attempts.
Pathirage Seals Gold With Final Throw
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage produced a stunning final attempt to win the gold medal.
He threw 88.55 metres with his sixth and final attempt. The effort moved him back to the top of the standings.
Pathirage had earlier recorded 88.33 metres on his fourth attempt.
India’s Yashvir Singh won silver with a personal-best throw of 85.72 metres. His compatriot Rohit Yadav secured bronze with 84.35 metres.
Arshad Faces Another Difficult Competition
Arshad won Olympic gold in Paris with a record 92.97-metre throw. However, his recent performances have fallen short of that historic level.
His latest result adds to a difficult period at major international competitions.
Pakistan’s Yasir Sultan also failed to reach the final eight. He recorded a best throw of 73.50 metres.
Meanwhile, India’s Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra did not compete in Nagoya because of injury.
Pathirage’s victory further strengthens his recent record at major competitions. His personal best of 92.62 metres remains only 35 centimetres short of Arshad’s Olympic record.
