Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem Wins Gold in Paris

Pakistan's unexpected gold medal winner Arshad Nadeem proved a hit at the country's embassy in Paris as he was mobbed by ecstatic supporters.

The 27-year-old landed the country's first gold medal since 1984 and the first of any color since 1992, beating defending champion and Indian rival Neeraj Chopra into second in the javelin.

Arshad's throw of 92.97m was also an Olympic record.

After being awarded his gold at the Stade de France, Arshad stopped off at the Pakistan embassy where approximately 200 cheering fans were waiting to greet him.

Arshad Nadeem's home village erupted into rapturous celebrations after he clinched Pakistan's first Olympic medal in athletics, winning gold in the men's Javelin and knocking defending champion Neeraj Chopra of arch-rival India into second place.

Nadeem's triumph in Paris is all the more impressive for a man born and raised in a mud brick house in an impoverished corner of rural Pakistan and forced as a young man to train in local wheat fields with homemade javelins.

The news of his victory, thrilled his compatriots, drawing congratulatory messages from the nation's leaders and prompting jubilant dancing and fireworks in his normally sleepy home village of Mian Channu.

Pakistan mostly channels its limited funding for sport into team games such as cricket and hockey.

"This gold medal is a gift from me to the entire nation on the occasion of Independence Day," Nadeem said.

Nadeem, who compared his Olympic clash with Chopra to the two nations' legendary rivalry in cricket, has previously said it is challenging being a non-cricket athlete in Pakistan, where resources and facilities for his sport are scarce.

But now his record-breaking 92.97m javelin throw in Paris has earned Pakistan its first Olympic medal since the 1992 Barcelona Games and its first gold medal since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.