Arshad Nadeem, of Pakistan, competes in the qualification round of the men's javelin throw at the 2020 Summer Olympics on Aug 4. — AP
Arshad Nadeem on Wednesday kept Pakistan's hopes of its maiden medal at Tokyo Olympics alive as he went through to the final of the men's javelin with a throw of 85.16 metres.
The feat made him the first Pakistani to qualify for the final of any track and field event at the Olympics.
Nadeem's throw was third-best of the day behind India's Neeraj Chopra (86.65m) and world leader Germany's Johannes Vetter (85.64m).
The 24-year-old thrower from Khanewal finished above Germany's Julian Weber and Czech's Jakub Vadlejch to win his group and a place in the medal round — a performance that got his coach out of his seat applauding.