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 šµš°šš®š³#ArshadNadeem #NeerajChopra #PakistanZindabad #GOLD #OlympicGamesParis pic.twitter.com/5YyuWORRk7
ā Arshad Nadeem šµš° (@ArshadNadeemPak) August 8, 2024
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Mysuru: Seven villages in Mysuru district have been selected as contestants to compete under the Central Governmentās Model Solar Village initiative. The winning village will receive an incentive of Rs 1 crore from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
According to a press release from the Mysuru division Engineer, Works and Maintenance, Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC), cited by Deccan Herald on Friday, the competition will started on July 1, 2025 and will run until December 31, 2025. At the end of the evaluation period, the village that demonstrates the highest adoption and usage of renewable energy will be declared the winner.
The selection of the participating villagesāVarkodu, Bilikere, Gandhanahalli, Saligrama, Tandavapura, Mooguru, and Bettadapuraāwas finalised at a district-level committee (DLC) meeting chaired by the Regional Commissioner of Mysuru.
During the competition, a range of renewable energy initiatives will be implemented through the respective grama panchayats. āThey are: installation of rooftop solar power units under Prime Minister's Solar Rooftop Scheme for houses. Encouragement of rooftop solar installation, without subsidy for other consumers; promotion of solar irrigation pump sets under Prime Minister's Solar Rooftop Scheme for houses. Encouragement of rooftop solar installation, without subsidy for other consumers; promotion of solar irrigation pump sets under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan scheme; installation of solar power units on government buildings with funding through Public-Private Partnership, RCSCO or budget grants; and installation of solar power units for drinking water facilities and street lights," the press note states.
āIn the end of the contest, the village that uses the maximum renewable energy will be declared as the āModel Solar Villageā, based on an evaluation,ā the press release added.