We are always natural friends: Arshad Nadeem says while sharing picture with Neeraj Chopra
Paris: Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan's star javelin thrower, created history on Thursday night by clinching the Olympic gold medal with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters. This victory marks the first time Nadeem has bested his Indian counterpart, Neeraj Chopra, in their 11 encounters, adding a new chapter to their growing rivalry.
Nadeem's gold-winning performance not only set a new Olympic record but also made him the first Pakistani to win an individual Olympic gold medal. His achievement comes 36 years after boxer Hussain Shah won a bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, making Nadeem the first Pakistani to secure an Olympic medal since then.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Nadeem expressed his happiness over the rivalry between him and Chopra, likening it to the famous cricket battles between India and Pakistan. He shared a picture with Chopra, captioning it with the words, "We are always natural friends," along with the flags of both nations.
"The rivalry is there when it comes to cricket matches and other sports, definitely. But at the same time, it is a good thing for youngsters in both countries who are pursuing a sport to follow us and follow their sports icons and bring laurels to their countries," Nadeem told reporters after his historic win.
Nadeem and Chopra have developed a strong friendship off the field, despite being fierce competitors on it. Their camaraderie was evident earlier this year when Nadeem made a social media appeal for funds to purchase a high-quality javelin. Chopra was among those who offered support, showcasing the bond they share.
Chopra, who entered the final as the top qualifier, secured the silver medal with a season's best throw of 89.45 meters. Nadeem, however, was the surprise of the night, with two throws exceeding 90 meters, one of which broke the previous Olympic record of 90.57 meters set by Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen at the 2008 Beijing Games.
We are always natural friends 🇵🇰💕🇮🇳#ArshadNadeem #NeerajChopra #PakistanZindabad #GOLD #OlympicGamesParis pic.twitter.com/5YyuWORRk7
— Arshad Nadeem 🇵🇰 (@ArshadNadeemPak) August 8, 2024
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Indian vessel 'Jag Laadki' carrying over 80,000 MT crude oil reaches Gujarat's Mundra Port
Ahmedabad, Mar 18 (PTI): Indian-flagged tanker 'Jag Laadki', carrying around 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil, arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat on Wednesday amid the West Asia conflict, officials said.
A day earlier, LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' arrived at Vadinar port in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) navigating through the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, another vessel - 'Shivalik' - carrying LPG docked at Mundra Port.
Adani Ports, which operates Mundra Port, said in a statement that the crude oil carried by Jag Laadki was sourced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and loaded at Fujairah Port there.
"Measuring 274.19 metres in length overall and 50.04 metres in beam, the tanker boasts a deadweight tonnage of approximately 164,716 tonnes and a gross tonnage of about 84,735 tonnes," it said.
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The tanker's arrival at the Mundra Port underscores the facility's critical role in handling substantial crude imports, it said.
"This delivery supports major refinery relies on such shipments to maintain operations and bolster India's energy security during supply disruptions in the region," Adani Ports added.
The port provided the safe berthing of the vessel and maritime coordination in safeguarding vital energy lifelines of India, it said.
Fujairah Port in UAE faced drone and missile attacks during the ongoing Israel-US and Iran war.
India imports about 88 per cent of its crude oil, 50 per cent of natural gas and 60 per cent of LPG needs. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 and Tehran's retaliation, more than half of India's crude imports, about 30 per cent of gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG imports came from Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The conflict has led to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Gulf energy supplies. While India has partly offset crude supply disruptions by sourcing oil from countries including Russia, gas supplies have been curtailed to industrial users and LPG availability to commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants has been reduced.
