Arshad Naeem to feature in Asian Athletics Championship 2019
The 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist Javelin Thrower Arshad Nadeem is preparing to participate in the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships which will be held from 21 to 24 April at Doha in Qatar.
The 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist Javelin Thrower Arshad Nadeem has started training at his hometown in Mian Channu to prepare for the Asian Athletics Championships 2019 to which he said,“I have been training on regular basis for the last ten days at Mian Channu’s Primary School pitch. But let me make it clear that this is not the level of training through which I could fight in the Asian Championships. I don’t have the sort of equipment which is needed for quality training. There is no camp so I thought I should do something on my own to keep myself fit. I work on the program which is given to me by my WAPDA coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari,”
Pakistan won a medal in the Asia’s biggest event in athletics after 27 years of struggle and hard work by the athletes. Arshad wants Athletics Governing Body (AFP) to hold a camp for the Asian Championships as soon as possible. “For better results in the continental event I will need at least two months quality training. Any further delay in holding camp may hurt my chances,” Arshad said. Arshad added if he was given two months training ahead of the Asian Championships he could fight for gold in the continental event in Doha.
“India’s star Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra is training in South Africa these days. For constant growth you need quality training,” the athlete said. Chopra claimed gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games with a throw of 88.06m. China’s Liu Qizhen with a 82.22m effort finished with silver, while Arshad ended third with a 80.75m throw.
Arshad said he was targeting 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “My target is 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I want not only to qualify but also win medal in it,” he said. Asian Championships will be followed by the World Championships also to be held in Doha, in September and October, this year.
Both Asian Championships and World Championships will be conducted at the international Al-Khalifa Stadium. A few days ago the AFP President Major General (R) Akram Sahi told in an interview from Quetta that he would try his best to send Arshad abroad for training ahead of the World Championships.
Arshad was seen in his best form when he qualified for the finals of the 2018 Commonwealth Games with an 80.45m throw at Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast in Australia, last year. However, injury in the finals and the absence of a coach with him on the tour prevented him from impressing in the finals.
The 23rd Asian Athletics Championships will be held from 19-24 April 2019 in Doha, Qatar. The biennial continental event which is usually held in July-August is preponed by Asian Athletics Association (AAA) due to intensely hot and humid summers in Doha.
The six-day competition will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium which will also host the IAAF World Championships from 28 September to 06 October this year. Athletes from 63 nations will be attending this event.
