While You Were Asleep: Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem wins javelin gold, Sagar Ahlawat settles for silver in boxing, shuttlers Srikanth, Gayatri-Treesa win bronze medals

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem threw a meet record 90.18 meters to win the javelin gold medal. Indian boxer Sagar Ahlawat wins silver medal in men's over 92kg category. Srikanth, prevailed over Singapore's Jia Heng Teh 21-15 21-18 to claim a bronze medal.

Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan makes an attempt in the Men's javelin throw during the athletics competition in the Alexander Stadium at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham; Silver medallist boxer Sagar Ahlawat poses for photographs during the 92kg (Super Heavyweight) category medal ceremony; Kidambi Srikanth celebrates winning match point against Jia Heng Teh of Singapore during their Bronze medal badminton match. (AP | PTI)

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the gold with a sensational fifth round throw of 90.18m, also a Commonwealth Games record, relegating two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada to silver with a mark of 88.64 and Kenya’s Julius Yego into bronze.

Nadeem became the second Asian and 23rd in the world to have thrown the javelin past 90m. Chinese Taipei’s Chao-Tsun Cheng was the first Asian to achieve the feat with a throw of 91.36m in 2017.

What a superb performance from Arshad Nadeem!

He earns Pakistan their first track and field Gold after 60 years 🥇🥇, setting precedence with a new Games record.

Congratulations @NOCPakistan 👏🏾#CommonwealthGames2022 | #B2022 pic.twitter.com/6H5YlKxeLg

— Commonwealth Sport (@thecgf) August 7, 2022

Nadeem bettered his personal best thrice over the course of the final. His personal best before this was 86.38m. Nadeem became first Pakistani track & field gold medallist at the CWG in 60 years.

Jism toota howa tha per himmat Himalaya se bhi buland thi.

Salute to you my brother #ArshadNadeem for bringing another gold for Pakistan in #CommonwealthGames2022.

You made the nation proud. 🌟🏆🙌#PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/sJ0jQGOqnY

— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) August 7, 2022

India’s DP Manu (82.28m) and Rohit Yadav (82.22m) failed to reach the podium.

Ek hi dil hai kitni baar jeeto gai Arshad. Pakistan ki shaan. May u win many more medals for Pakistan and may u get all the respect and facilities u deserve. InshAllah Olympics ka medal bhi aye ga. #ArshadNadeem #CommonwealthGames2022 pic.twitter.com/Z750eczDca

— Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) August 7, 2022

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra missed the competition because of an injury sustained while earning a silver at the world championships last month.

Boxing: Sagar claims silver

Indian boxer Sagar Ahlawat had to content with a silver medal after he lost by an unanimous 0-5 verdict against England’s Delicious Orie in the men’s over 92kg (super heavy weight) category.

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Boxer Sagar Ahlawat during his bout against England’s Delicious Orie in the final of 92kg (Super Heavyweight) boxing match at the Commonwealth Games. (PTI)

Sagar started positively in the first round but Orie completely dominated the next two as the Indian started to tire out.

The Englishman took full advantage of that and landed big punches, hooks and jabs on Sagar, who started to bleed in the last round after getting a cut over his left eye.

READ | Why India needs to stop participating in Commonwealth Games

The Indian boxing cintingent will return with seven medals — three gold, one silver and three bronze — from Birmingham, two less than the previous edition.

Badminton: Srikanth, Gayatri-Treesa win bronze medals

Kidambi Srikanth and young women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand signed off with bronze medals in the badminton competition of the Commonwealth Games.

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Treesa Jolly, left, and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela of India play a return to Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen and Gronya Somerville of Australia during their Bronze medal badminton match at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. (AP | PTI)
Srikanth prevailed over Singapore’s world number 87 Jia Heng Teh 21-15 21-18 to claim a bronze medal to go with the silver that he had won four years ago in Gold Coast.

In the following bronze medal playoff, Treesa and Gayatri registered a 21-15 21-18 win over world number 159 Australian pair of Wendy Hsuan-Yu Chen and Gronya Somerville to finish third on the podium in their first major event together as a combination.

India are also assured of at least two more medals with double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and debutant Lakshya Sen notching up contrasting wins in the semifinal stage to stay on course for maiden gold medals at the Games.

Shivani Naik is trotting around Brummie land in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. As the Brummies say, her features are ‘bosting’ (brilliant!). As ever, some incredible stories are pouring in from the lives of inspirational athletes to how they do what they do in their sport. Did you know how a girl born in China landed up in Canada to become a gold medallist? Or the hysteria around Mirabai Chanu at the Games. Watch the CWG drama unfold through Shivani’s eyes and wisdom by clicking here.

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Meanwhile, in Chennai, wizards of Chess from all over the world have gathered for the Chess Olympiad. From Magnus Carlsen, who walked in like a deity, to hometown’s love R Praggnanandhaa, everyone is there. Also present is our own Sandip G, weaving poetic-prose with insights on some amazing life stories of players and tactical game play. He doesn’t miss a beat, so that you don’t miss the significance of any move. Please click here for Sandip G’s stories.