Arshad Nadeem’s 83m Strike Seals Gold as Pakistan Lights Up Riyadh

Arshad Nadeem walked into Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium looking calm, almost too calm for a night this tense. Then his first attempt barely crossed 74m. 

His second throw soared past 83m. Gasps echoed around the arena. That throw sent the crowd jumping to their feet. The real shock came on his sixth attempt. Arshad Nadeem launched an 83.05m throw and clinched the gold. He didn’t just win, he dominated a field where no one else even crossed 80m.

Pakistan’s Muhammad Yasir Sultan hung in bravely. He looked stunned for a second after his 74.43m effort, then rallied late with a crisp 76.04m in his final push. It earned him silver, and you could see the pride written on his face. Nigeria’s Samuel Kure settled for bronze with 75.46m, though he fought hard through all six attempts.

If you glanced at the scoreboard, you’d think the story ended there. It didn’t. 

Earlier, Qudrat Ullah fought hard in the boxing ring. He secured bronze despite losing to Egypt’s Amir Kelany. In the quarters, he had smashed Sudan’s Mohamed Othman 10-0. Expectations were high, and he left the ring exhausted but proud.

Fatima Zahra, just 19, also earned bronze after falling to another Egyptian opponent. The energy around her bout was electric. When her quarter-final win over Algeria’s Hamda Melissa flashed 5-0 on the screens, fans erupted.

And then came a surprise. Arusha Saeed grabbed Pakistan’s first medal in the women’s 57kg Kurash category. 

With Riyadh hosting athletes from across the Muslim world, the Islamic Solidarity Games have turned into a showcase of grit and quick turnarounds. Pakistan’s medal table now looks very exciting. As Solidarity Games 2025 comes to an end.