Arshad Nadeem ends up losing, but he wins the hearts.

On Saturday, Arshad Nadeem came close to capturing a desired Olympic gold medal for Pakistan, coming fifth in the final of the men’s javelin throw event in Tokyo but winning hearts back home.

The 24-year-old from Mian Channu became Pakistan’s first track and field athlete to participate in the quadrennial tournament, winning him widespread acclaim.

He was able to hurl the spear to the 84.62m mark but could not cross the finish line and win a medal.

With Indian Neeraj Chopra topping the standings with a throw of 87.58m, Arshad needed to throw at least 83m to make the top eight, who would then compete for medals.

He was up to the task, achieving a distance of 84.62m in his third and final throw.

Arshad then threw for the fourth time, covering 82.91 yards. His sixth throw was the shortest, covering just 81.98m.

His final throw was ruled a foul, and his best throw will be at 84.62m, far from a podium finish.

Arshad was fourth during the early stages of the competition; however, his competitors overtook him.

Chopra of India won gold with a throw of 87.58m, while two Czechs, Jakub Vadlejch and Vitezslav Vesely, took silver and bronze.

“I appreciate my Pakistani country and my parents’ prayers and support,” Arshad said on Twitter after the event.

He also thanked his instructors as well as Punjab Sports Minister Rai Taimoor.

Pakistan sent ten competitors to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but none won a medal for their nation.

The world’s best javelin thrower, German Johannes Vetter, could not make the top eight.

His first throw was 82.52m; however, his second and third attempts were fouled. As a result, he finished ninth and could not compete for medals.

On Wednesday, Arshad qualified for the final with a spectacular throw of 85.16m, which placed him atop group B qualifying.

The throw also vaulted him to third place in both groups, behind only Chopra and Vetter.

Arshad, born on January 2, 1997, in Khanewal, has been a national champion in the javelin throw since 2015.

He rose to prominence in 2016 after winning a bronze medal in the javelin throw at the South Asian Games in Guwahati.

He placed third in Jakarta’s 18th Asian Games 2018, winning a bronze medal with an 80.75m spear throw. He continued to excel, and in the World Championships in Doha, he improved his throw to 81.52m.

In 2019, he improved even more with a throw of 83.65m in the National Games. During the 13th South Asian Games 2019, Nepal athletics competition, he qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 by throwing the javelin for 86.29m. In April of this year, he stood out in the Mashhad Imam Reza Athletics Tournament in Iran, when he extended his national record by throwing the javelin 86.38m.