SLAMABAD: Pakistan’s javelin star and Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem won the Global Breakthrough Athlete award at the World Sports Summit in the UAE on Monday. 

The two-day World Sports Summit is being held in Dubai from Dec. 29-30. The global event features over 1,500 sports leaders, policymakers and athletes who will partake in discussions related to the future of the industry under the theme “Uniting the World Through Sport,” the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said. 

News channels aired footage of Nadeem receiving the award in Dubai. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah celebrated the achievement, referring to Nadeem as the nation’s “pride.”

“An honor for Pakistan,” Tarar wrote on social media platform X. “Arshad Nadeem is our pride.”

Nadeem won Pakistan’s first gold medal in javelin in August 2024 when he won the men’s javelin competition with a record-breaking 92.97-meter throw, triggering celebrations across the country.

Nadeem has also won medals at other international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. In November, Nadeem won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Saudi Arabia, recording a throw of 83.05 meters from six attempts in a seven-man field.