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In a touching display of sportsmanship, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar expressed his admiration for Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra’s mother. Despite her son securing a silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, Chopra’s mother congratulated Pakistan’s gold medalist, Arshad Nadeem, with heartfelt sincerity.
Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, clinching the gold medal. Neeraj Chopra, who threw 89.45 meters, won the silver. Chopra’s mother, in a gesture of immense grace, shared that she was thrilled with her son’s performance and extended her congratulations to Nadeem, referring to him as her son as well. She said, “No, I am very happy. For us, even a silver medal is like a gold medal. The one who has won the gold medal is also my son. Everyone works hard.”
Shoaib Akhtar, deeply moved by this gesture, took to X (formerly Twitter) to commend Chopra’s mother. He tweeted, “‘Gold jis ka hai, wo bhi hamara he larka hai’. Yeh baat sirf ek maa he keh sakti hai. Amazing.” which translates to “‘The one who has won the gold medal is also my child’ is something only a mother can say. Amazing.”
Akhtar’s post highlights the spirit of unity and respect in sports, celebrating not just the achievements but also the profound gestures of sportsmanship that transcend national boundaries.
