Pakistan Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem will skip the Lausanne Diamond League meet on August 21 as he shifts his focus towards preparing for the Asian Games and the World Athletics Ultimate Championships later this year.
Nadeem, who was scheduled to compete alongside India’s Neeraj Chopra, Germany’s Julian Weber and Grenada’s Anderson Peters, will instead travel to South Africa for a two-week training camp.
His long-time coach Salman Butt confirmed the decision, saying the 28-year-old is currently training in Lahore and is awaiting his visa before travelling to Potchefstroom.
“He has decided against competing in the Diamond League meet this month as he wants to be ready for the Asian Games,” Butt said.
South Africa Camp Ahead
Nadeem will train in Potchefstroom under his coach Terseus Liebenberg and local trainers. The venue is familiar territory for the Olympic champion, who has previously completed training stints there ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Those preparations proved fruitful, with Nadeem winning gold at both events.
The upcoming camp is aimed at helping the Pakistan star regain his best form after a difficult run of international competitions this season.
Disappointing Commonwealth Games
Nadeem’s decision comes after a disappointing outing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where he failed to qualify for the top eight in the javelin final.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the gold medal with a throw of 89.75 metres, while India’s Neeraj Chopra and Yash Vir Singh finished second and third respectively.
It marked the first time two Indian javelin throwers had shared a podium in the event at the Commonwealth Games.
Nadeem’s ninth-place finish also drew criticism after he struggled to reproduce the form that has made him one of the world’s leading javelin throwers.
Ultimate Championships, Asian Games Next
After his South Africa camp, Nadeem is expected to compete at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest from September 6 to 14.
The Asian Games in Japan will then become another major target for the Olympic champion.
Nadeem had been scheduled to use the Lausanne Diamond League as part of his competitive preparations, but his decision to withdraw reflects a preference for training and recovery ahead of the more important events on his calendar.
The Pakistan star will now look to use the next few weeks to rebuild his rhythm and return to competition in stronger form.
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