Arshad Nadeem Pakistan's best hope in Paris Olympics

Arshad Nadeem leads Pakistan's 18-member contingent to Paris Olympics, aiming to win the country's first medal since 1992.

Arshad Nadeem, one of star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra's fiercest competitors in international competitions, will head an 18-member Pakistan contingent to the Paris Olympics with the hope of clinching the elusive medal for his country at the quadrennial showpiece.

The Pakistan Olympic Association on July 15 announced the contingent comprising seven athletes and 11 officials, including coaches in four disciplines.

Besides Nadeem, Pakistan's best hope in athletics, the other athletes are shooter Kishmala Talat, sprinter Faiqa Riaz and swimmer Jehanara Nabi, among others.

Kishmala, a 10m air pistol exponent, is the first woman sportsperson to qualify for the Olympics in shooting sport.

Pakistan's last medal in the Olympics came in 1992 Barcelona when the national hockey team won bronze.

Since 1948 when Pakistan first took part in the Olympics, it has won 10 medals with eight of them coming in men's hockey. The team has failed to qualify for the last two Olympic Games.

The only realistic hope for a medal in Paris is javelin thrower Nadeem who had clinched silver behind Neeraj Chopra at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. He is also a bronze medallist at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games where Neeraj won gold.