Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem: A heartwarming story of friendship past Olympic and its medals – Occasions of India

If there’s another sport other than cricket the place folks from each India and Pakistan go away every part and are glued to the tv screens, it’s the javelin throw. With both– Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and India’s Neeraj Chopra creating histories individually on August 9, 2024, the javelin throw has change into a brand new common sport within the rival neighbouring international locations.For the unversed, on August ninth, Arshad Nadeem created a brand new world report by throwing the javelin at a distance of 92.97m (breaking the earlier world report of 90.57 meters) and profitable gold for it and Neeraj Chopra gained a silver for throwing at a distance of 89.45m on the 2024 Paris Olympics. And whereas they may be rivals on-field, their off-field friendship is what has caught folks’s consideration and introduced folks nearer throughout the India-Pak border.

Nadeem and Neeraj are pop-cultures’ new favorite brothers from completely different moms. Not solely do they share their ardour for javelin, however in addition they have fairly a couple of similarities– be it their humble upbringings in small villages throughout the border, or the challenges they’ve confronted on their skilled journeys. Whereas Neeraj was born right into a household of farmers in Haryana’s Khandar village, Nadeem was born to Muhammad Ashraf– who works as a mason in Pakistan’s village Mian Channu. The duo are additionally virtually of the identical age– born only a few months apart– who’ve now created a distinct segment for themselves in a sport which wasn’t a lot heard of earlier by folks within the two international locations!

Their skilled rivalry and off-field friendship return to 2016 when the 2 had first competed towards one another. “My first competitors with Neeraj was in Guwahati, India, the place I had thrown 78.33m breaking Pakistan’s first report again then,” Nadeem shared in a media interplay after profitable on the 2024 Paris Olympics just lately. Over time, they’ve met and competed at a number of occasions and their friendship has solely grown.
However folks have typically tried to create a rift between the 2, nevertheless, because of their sportsmanship and mutual respect, Neeraj and Nadeem haven’t let soiled politics get between their friendship. As an example, within the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, there was a short second when Neeraj could not discover his javelin. He later noticed Nadeem who had unintentionally taken it, and had requested him to return because it was his flip to play– a request to which Nadeem immediately obliged. Nonetheless, some folks misinterpreted this incident and accused Nadeem on social media of attempting to sabotage India. However Neeraj stood up for Nadeem and shut up the haters by saying, “I might request everybody to please not use me and my feedback as a medium to additional your vested pursuits and propaganda. Sports activities teaches us to be collectively and united. I’m extraordinarily disillusioned to see among the reactions from the general public to my current feedback.” In the meantime, Nadeem who had landed on the fifth spot within the 2020 Tokyo Olympics whereas Neeraj gained the gold again then, was all reward of Neeraj regardless of his setback. Equally, though Neeraj could not defend his earlier gold medal on the Olympics, he praised Nadeem for his efficiency this time saying that it was Nadeem’s night time.

Extra just lately, in March 2024, only a few months earlier than the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nadeem was struggling to get a brand new javelin or sponsors for it and it was Neeraj who supported him. Neeraj even made a public attraction to assist Nadeem in getting a brand new javelin.
Not simply Neeraj and Nadeem, however their moms additionally praised each of them. After Neeraj misplaced the gold to Nadeem and secured a silver on the 2024 Paris Olympics, Neeraj’s mom Saroj Devi instructed ANI, “We’re very proud of the silver, the one who acquired gold (Arshad Nadeem) can be our youngster and the one who acquired silver can be our youngster… All are athletes, all work onerous… Nadeem can be good, he performs properly, and there’s no distinction between Neeraj and Nadeem. We acquired gold and silver, there is no such thing as a distinction for us.”

Her sentiments had been reciprocated by Nadeem’s mom, Raziah Parveen, too from throughout the border. Raziah Parveen instructed the Unbiased Urdu, ““They don’t seem to be solely associates however brothers and I additionally pray for Neeraj that he will get extra success. Neeraj can be like our son and I pray for him that he wins medals. Profitable and shedding is a part of sport however they’re like brothers.”
Actually then, Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem haven’t simply gained the Olympic medals but additionally proven that their hearts are additionally made from silver and gold. Their friendship is a fantastic testomony to true sportsmanship, comradeship, mutual respect, and professionalism at a time when the world wants extra of it.