Nadeem won gold in the javelin throw at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who recently won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has made headlines again, this time for his humorous reaction to a unique gift from his father-in-law.
After Nadeem’s historic victory in Paris, where he threw an Olympic record of 92.97 metres, his father-in-law Muhammad Nawaz decided to celebrate him by gifting him a buffalo. In rural Pakistan, gifting a buffalo is considered a valuable and respectful gesture.
However, in a recent interview with his wife, Nadeem playfully poked fun at the gift. When asked about it, he giggled and said, “She (his wife) told me I said buffalo? He should have given me 5-6 acres of land, but buffaloes are fine too. By God’s grace, he is so rich and gifted me a buffalo.”
Nadeem’s light-hearted comment made the interviewer laugh and has since gone viral on social media.
Despite the joke, Nadeem’s father-in-law explained that the gift was chosen to honour both tradition and Nadeem’s rural roots. Even after becoming an international sports star, Nadeem still lives with his family in Khanewal, Punjab.
This buffalo is not the only reward Nadeem has received for his Olympic success. The Pakistani government and various organizations have showered him with gifts and prize money. He was reportedly promised a total of over 30 crore Pakistani rupees (about 9 crore Indian rupees).
His other gifts include:
- A cheque for Rs 15 crore from Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif
- A cheque for Rs 10 crore and a Honda Civic from the Chief Minister of Punjab
- Promise of more cars from businessmen
- Cash rewards from various officials and celebrities
- A golden crown from the Mayor of Sukkur
- Plans for a new sports stadium named after him
For his achievement, Nadeem will also receive Pakistan’s second highest award, the Hilal-e-Imtiaz.
The athlete’s success in Paris was particularly beautiful as he surpassed India’s Neeraj Chopra, who took silver with a throw of 89.45 metres.
Although Nadeem joked that he would rather have land than a buffalo, his comments appear to be in jest. The gift, as unexpected as it may be, shows how proud his family and community are of his achievements.
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