PARIS: As the Paris Olympics 2024 kicks off today with a blistering opening ceremony scheduled to be held on Friday, Pakistan gears up for the games with a delegation of 18 members, consisting of 7 athletes and 11 officials.
Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and swimmer Jahanara Nabi will serve as the flagbearers for Pakistan during the opening ceremony. Star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem will be the standout figure in the contingent.
Nadeem first drew international attention at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he became the first Pakistani to qualify for the javelin throw final, finishing fifth with a throw of 84.62 meters. Since then, he has further cemented his reputation with a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, setting a new record with a throw of 90.18 meters, and a silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Jahanara Nabi, born on May 12, 2004, in Karachi, will compete in the 200m freestyle event after getting a wild card entry into the 2024 games. She has set multiple national records, including an impressive time of 9 minutes 39.52 seconds in the 800m freestyle at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya, Turkey, in August 2022.
Nabi also holds the national record for the 100m freestyle, clocking in at 1:01.51 during the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Kishmala Talat, a 21-year-old shooter, stands out as the first Pakistani woman to qualify for Olympic shooting. She will compete in the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events. Talat has achieved notable success, including winning Pakistan’s first-ever shooting medal, a bronze, at the 2022 Asian Games.
At the 2022 Islamic Solidarity Games, she earned a gold medal in the 10m air pistol event and a bronze in the 25m pistol competition. With a global ranking of 37th in the 10m event and 41st in the 25m event, Kishmala Talat received an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Scholarship.
Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, competing in the 25m rapid-fire pistol event, has represented Pakistan in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. His notable achievements include being Pakistan’s flag bearer at the Tokyo Olympics and winning a bronze medal at the 2022 World Shooting Championships in Egypt.
Gulfam Joseph will compete in the 10m air pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed team events. He has secured multiple medals at international events, including the Islamic Solidarity Games and South Asian Games, and continues to be a significant figure in the sport.
Faiqa Riaz will compete in the 100m sprint event. She achieved gold in the 100m sprint at the 2022 South Asian Games and is the current national champion in the 100m sprint. Her personal best time is 11.70 seconds in the 100m sprint.
Mohammad Ahmed Durrani, the national record holder, is set to compete in the 200m freestyle swimming, Durrani showed a strong performance at the 2022 Islamic Solidarity Games.
The 11 officials will accompany the athletes in multiple roles including managing logistics, overseeing training, and ensuring compliance with Olympic regulations.
