When Arshad Nadeem struck gold in a thrilling Olympic javelin final on Thursday, Pakistan erupted with joy. Still, in his hometown of Mian Channu in Punjab province, Nadeem's mother had room to cheer on another athlete: his sporting rival and friend Neeraj Chopra.
Nadeem made history in Paris, setting an Olympic record and bagging Pakistan's first track and field medal in Olympic history with a gigantic 92.97m throw.
Her son's victory, Raziah Parveen told The National, prompted tears of happiness that took some time to ebb.
“We celebrated with great joy, drumming the dhol and revelling in the moment," she said.
But even in the wild scenes of joy as villagers watched the action on a projector hooked up on the back of a lorry, Ms Parveen spared a thought for Chopra.
“Winning and losing is a matter of luck. Neeraj beta [son] is Arshad's friend and brother, and he's like a son to me. I prayed for his win, too, and will continue to pray for his success in the future," she said.
Chopra threw 89.45m to claim the silver medal on Thursday. His mother also expressed happiness at the result.
"We are very happy with the silver, the one who got gold is also our child and the one who got silver is also our child," Saroj Devi told PTI Videos in Khandra, Panipat.
Pakistan and India are famously arch rivals when it comes to sport, but pride at South Asian nations establishing themselves on the world athletics stage has brought people together.
Chopra led the congratulations for his friend, saying Nadeem ”threw really well“.
Despite not being familiar with the sport, Mohammad Bilal, an auto-rickshaw mechanic in Mian Channu, was overjoyed by Arshad's victory.
“Arshad's win for Pakistan is truly exceptional. When he returns home, I'll show my respect by kissing his feet and we'll celebrate in a way we never have before," he said.
Prateek Rathi, a stockbroker and Olympic enthusiast in Delhi, told The National: "As an Indian, I’m immensely proud of Neeraj Chopra’s silver medal win. He’s consistently shown his talent on the global stage and this achievement is another milestone in his remarkable career.
"It’s also important to recognise Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan for his gold medal victory. This moment highlights the rising prominence of South Asian athletes in global sports."
Minakshi Bansal, assistant professor of political science and sociology at Asian Law College in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, said: "Both Neeraj and Arshad have made their nations proud and I’m excited to see how this healthy rivalry will continue to inspire excellence in athletics.”
Tough road to victory
Nadeem, 32, has spoken about his difficult journey to the Olympics, saying he had reached the top of the sport with no access to state of the art grounds or training facilities.
In March, it was revealed he had used the same javelin for seven years.
He has also used his platform to call for more funding for track and field athletes in Pakistan, saying: “In this day and age, you have to provide world-class facilities to develop athletes, as the competition is getting tougher and tougher. You can’t produce another Arshad without giving them those facilities.”
Participating in the Olympics and setting a record is a big achievement, said General Akram Sahi, President of the Pakistan Athletic Federation.
"Arshad Nadeem has made history and made all of Pakistan proud. We once had only a bronze medal in the Olympics, but now we also have a gold medal in hand.
"Despite a lack of resources and challenges, Pakistan's sportspeople have the potential to make the country proud.”
Pakistan has won only one other Olympic gold medal, in men's field hockey at Los Angeles in 1984.
The South Asian country won its last medal in 1992 in Barcelona, when the field hockey team claimed bronze.
