‘Wo bhi meri maa hai’: Arshad Nadeem’s response on Neeraj Chopra’s mother goes viral, wins hearts

New Delhi: Pakistan’s javelin star Arshad Nadeem has won hearts across the border with his heartwarming response for India’s Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra’s mother, who said he was ‘like her son’. Arshad beat Neeraj in the final of the men’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics 2024 to clinch the elusive gold medal and become Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medallist.

Nadeem came up with a stunning throw of 92.97m in the final to set a new Olympic record and snatch the gold medal from Neeraj, the defending champion. Neeraj finished second with his season-best throw of 89.45m to bag the silver medal, becoming the first Indian athlete to win a gold and a silver medal in back-to-back Olympics.

After Nadeem’s win against her son, Neeraj’s mother Saroj Devi was asked about the Pakistan javelin thrower during an interview. Neeraj’s mother made a heartwarming remark as he called Nadeem like her son. Reacting to her comment, Nadeem said he is grateful that Neeraj’s mother prayed for him too and said she is like her mother.

“A mother is a mother for everyone, so she prays for everyone too. I’m grateful to Neeraj Chopra’s mother. Woh bhi meri maa hai (She’s my mother too). She prayed for us, and we were just two players from South Asia who performed on the world stage,” Nadeem told Pakistani media after returning home following his gold medal triumph.

Neeraj Chopra mother is my mother, she prayed for us, I am really thankful to her ❣️pic.twitter.com/oepBukXRJZ

— ٰImran Siddique (@imransiddique89) August 11, 2024

“If mothers ran the world, there would be no hate, no wars. #ArshadNadeem‘s mother: ‘Neeraj Chopra is like a son to me. I prayed for him too.’ (courtesy indyurdu) #NeerajChopra‘s mother: ‘We’re happy with silver. The one who won gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also my child.’”… pic.twitter.com/hCHGGZ6c30

— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) August 9, 2024

27-year-old Nadeem was on top of his game in the men’s javelin final as he trumped favourite Neeraj to win his maiden Olympic gold medal. Both Neeraj and Nadeem fouled on their respective first throws. The Pakistan star then produced a mammoth throw of 92.97m in his second attempt to seal the gold. Neeraj came up with a throw of 89.45m in his second attempt but it was not enough to propel him to the top of the podium.

Arshad Nadeem to be conferred with Hilal-e-Imtiaz

While Neeraj managed only one legal throw which was enough for him to secure the silver medal, Nadeem managed to cross the 90m mark once again with his last throw, showcasing his prowess in the final. The Pakistan government has announced that Nadeem will be conferred with Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the second-highest civilian award in honour of his stellar achievement.

Nadeem is also set to receive cash rewards of up to PKR 150 million (more than INR 4.5 crore) from various sources, including the Pakistan government and his state government for his gold medal feat at the Paris Olympics 2024.

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 Pakistan javelin star Arshad Nadeem’s response on Neeraj Chopra’s mother’s comments has gone viral. Reacting to her comments, Arshad called Neeraj’s mother like his own mother. Arshad beat Neeraj in the men’s javelin final to win the elusive gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024.  Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today