Short read: When a Javelin Bridged Borders

At the recently concluded Olympics, Neeraj Chopra, the defending champion, won the silver medal in the men’s javelin competition. The gold went to Mr Chopra’s friend, Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. This piece in The Wire captures the longstanding camaraderie between the Punjabis from either side of the world’s most hotly contested border:

“The heartwarming moments that emerged following the javelin event at the 2024 Paris Olympics fit squarely into a tradition of using sports as a means to bridge divides. The reaction of Neeraj Chopra’s mother and that of Arshad Nadeem suggests that their gestures could serve as a model for how we view international relations, particularly between India and Pakistan….

Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra, two sons of the soil, stood tall as heroes of the land, their spears of hope piercing through the shadows of political discord.

This notion was beautifully exemplified by Saroj Devi, the mother of Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra, during the Paris Olympics 2024. When her son secured a silver medal, and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem clinched gold, she referred to Nadeem as “our son” as well.

Echoing the same sentiment, Nadeem’s mother, Raziah Parveen, said she sees Neeraj the same way as she sees her own son. “He is also like my son. He is Nadeem’s friend and also his brother. Wins and losses are part of the sport. May god bless him, may he win medals. They are like brothers, I’ve prayed for Neeraj too,” said Nadeem’s mother in an interview to a Pakistani channel…

At the Paris Olympics, Arshad’s golden arm etched a new record in the heavens, while Neeraj, the defending champion, claimed silver with a spirit unyielding, defying the odds. These men, born of humble roots and small villages, captured the hearts of millions, not just through their athletic feats, but with the grace of their respect, and the quiet strength of their mutual admiration.

Their mothers, too, wove threads of unity with words steeped in love, embracing both Arshad and Neeraj as sons of the same earth, beyond the lines drawn by men. Their voices carried a message that leaders could not – of peace, of shared pride, of a common humanity.”

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