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Jeonbuk State, in collaboration with the Jeonbuk State Office of Education and Jeonbuk Physicl Education Middle & High School, is continuing international exchange and friendship through sports by delivering sports equipment donated by students to youth in three African nations. On the 5th, the State and the Office of Education held a send-off ceremony at Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School for the project titled “Re; Play Together, Jeonbuk Sports Friendship Gifts,” shipping the items to Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Namibia. The theme, ‘Re; Play Together,’ signifies resuming games (Re; Play) that had been halted due to a shortage of soccer balls and sports gear, this time together with Jeonbuk.

This initiative goes beyond mere material support; it aims to practice solidarity and friendship across borders through sports and to expand the foundation for exchange among future generations. In particular, sharing equipment that students actually used spreads the value of sharing while extending Jeonbuk’s international sports diplomacy into schools and the local community. The project originated from visits last year by officials from Zimbabwe and Namibia, with whom Jeonbuk has maintained international sports exchanges. During their visit to Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School, they requested support for sports equipment. Students readily agreed to contribute, leading to a broader international exchange program supported by the State, the Office of Education, and the school. The donated items total 616 pieces across 12 sports, including soccer, taekwondo, shooting, archery, swimming, etc. —comprising both gear previously used by students and new items collected for this project. The equipment will be delivered to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and National Olympic Committees of each country via Zimbabwean diplomatic missions and international shipping. It will then be distributed to young athletes and youth active in organizations such as the Kirsty Coventry Academy in Zimbabwe, the Waitaka Taekwondo Club in Kenya, and the MTC Hopsol Youth Soccer League in Namibia.

Kim Jong-phil, Director General of Jeonbuk State’s 2036 Summer Olympics Bid Department, stated: “I hope the precious sports items that nurtured the dreams of our Jeonbuk students will serve as a new source of hope for African youth. Moving forward, we will continue to promote international exchange through sports, guided by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) core values of inclusion and solidarity.” Im Young-gun, Director of Arts, Physical Ed & Health Division at the Jeonbuk State Office of Education, said, “It was a meaningful opportunity for our students to put into practice the spirit of sportsmanship through sharing and caring while developing a global perspective. We hope that the students’ small but heartfelt gesture will be warmly received by young people in Africa.”

Meanwhile, Jeonbuk State has been steadily expanding its international sports network by dispatching a Taekwondo demonstration team to the World Taekwondo U-21 Championship in Kenya, participating in the World Union of Olympic Cities General Assembly, and broadening sports exchanges with African nations. Starting with the “Sports Friendship Gift” pilot project, Jeonbuk State plans to consider expanding the countries and sports covered by the initiative, while also promoting the hosting of international sporting events and exchange programs inviting young athletes from overseas, with the goal of developing Jeonbuk into a specialized international sports city.

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He could not afford to buy a javelin, with the help of friends and rivals Nadeem made history

Gold medalist Arshad Nadeem of Team Pakistan celebrates atfer competing in the the Men’s Javelin Throw Final on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

AIPS ASIA News:

PARIS, August 9,2024 – Mian Channu is a small town located in the South of Pakistan where the chances of meeting with an Olympic champion are close to zero. The community relies on two fundamentals: agriculture and cricket. When young Arshad Nadeem came up with the idea of being a javelin thrower, the people around him found it bizarre. The next thing they started collecting money to help Arshad to get the proper gear and pursue his dream, despite the lack of facility in the area. Well, that big gamble paid off Thursday at the Paris Olympics with a gold medal that will compensate those who believed in Arshad.

Arshad Nadeem was a bit slow off the blocks Thursday at the start of javelin Olympic final in Stade de France, though. His first attempt registered a no-throw and nobody could anticipate that few minutes later his second attempt would be a gigantic 92.97m throw. It was the end. The rest of the field could not even come close.

OLYMPIC RECORD Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record and ended Pakistan’s 32-year wait for success at the Games by clinching the coveted gold medal. Arshad also shattered the previous Olympic record of 90.57m, set by the Netherlands’ Andreas Thorkildsen at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. His throw is the sixth longest throw ever, and the best in the world this year.

Behind Nadeem on the podium was rival and reigning champion Neeraj Chopra, who also had a foul throw on his first attempt before eventually settling for a silver medal finish with an 89.45m throw on his second attempt.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters took home bronze, his first ever Olympic medal, with an 88.54m throw.

HISTORIC THROW Nadeem’s throw was Pakistan’s first individual gold medal, first track and field medal and the second time a South Asian has had a podium finish in track and field.

Nadeem’s journey is celebrated not because of institutional support but despite the lack thereof. When he took up javelin, Nadeem reportedly did not have much money. According to his father, Muhammad Ashraf, people pooled money so that he can train. 
SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY “People have no idea how Arshad got to this place today. How his fellow villagers and relatives used to donate money so that he could travel to other cities for his training and events in his early days,” his father Muhammad Ashraf revealed. 
SPORTSMANSHIP Earlier this year, when Nadeem appealed for a new javelin for training, Neeraj Chopra supported his cause on social media, highlighting the sportsmanship between the two athletes. Nadeem’s career has notably progressed since his emergence on the scene, despite the challenges he has faced, including elbow, knee, and back issues that necessitated knee surgery last year. 

Despite lacking top facilities and equipment available to athletes in other countries, Nadeem has managed to shift some focus from cricket to athletics in Pakistan. 

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He could not afford to buy a javelin, with the help of friends and rivals Nadeem made history

Gold medalist Arshad Nadeem of Team Pakistan celebrates atfer competing in the the Men’s Javelin Throw Final on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

AIPS ASIA News:

PARIS, August 9,2024 – Mian Channu is a small town located in the South of Pakistan where the chances of meeting with an Olympic champion are close to zero. The community relies on two fundamentals: agriculture and cricket. When young Arshad Nadeem came up with the idea of being a javelin thrower, the people around him found it bizarre. The next thing they started collecting money to help Arshad to get the proper gear and pursue his dream, despite the lack of facility in the area. Well, that big gamble paid off Thursday at the Paris Olympics with a gold medal that will compensate those who believed in Arshad.

Arshad Nadeem was a bit slow off the blocks Thursday at the start of javelin Olympic final in Stade de France, though. His first attempt registered a no-throw and nobody could anticipate that few minutes later his second attempt would be a gigantic 92.97m throw. It was the end. The rest of the field could not even come close.

OLYMPIC RECORD Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record and ended Pakistan’s 32-year wait for success at the Games by clinching the coveted gold medal. Arshad also shattered the previous Olympic record of 90.57m, set by the Netherlands’ Andreas Thorkildsen at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. His throw is the sixth longest throw ever, and the best in the world this year.

Behind Nadeem on the podium was rival and reigning champion Neeraj Chopra, who also had a foul throw on his first attempt before eventually settling for a silver medal finish with an 89.45m throw on his second attempt.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters took home bronze, his first ever Olympic medal, with an 88.54m throw.

HISTORIC THROW Nadeem’s throw was Pakistan’s first individual gold medal, first track and field medal and the second time a South Asian has had a podium finish in track and field.

Nadeem’s journey is celebrated not because of institutional support but despite the lack thereof. When he took up javelin, Nadeem reportedly did not have much money. According to his father, Muhammad Ashraf, people pooled money so that he can train. 
SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY “People have no idea how Arshad got to this place today. How his fellow villagers and relatives used to donate money so that he could travel to other cities for his training and events in his early days,” his father Muhammad Ashraf revealed. 
SPORTSMANSHIP Earlier this year, when Nadeem appealed for a new javelin for training, Neeraj Chopra supported his cause on social media, highlighting the sportsmanship between the two athletes. Nadeem’s career has notably progressed since his emergence on the scene, despite the challenges he has faced, including elbow, knee, and back issues that necessitated knee surgery last year. 

Despite lacking top facilities and equipment available to athletes in other countries, Nadeem has managed to shift some focus from cricket to athletics in Pakistan. 

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”More>>”

Jeonbuk State, in collaboration with the Jeonbuk State Office of Education and Jeonbuk Physicl Education Middle & High School, is continuing international exchange and friendship through sports by delivering sports equipment donated by students to youth in three African nations. On the 5th, the State and the Office of Education held a send-off ceremony at Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School for the project titled “Re; Play Together, Jeonbuk Sports Friendship Gifts,” shipping the items to Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Namibia. The theme, ‘Re; Play Together,’ signifies resuming games (Re; Play) that had been halted due to a shortage of soccer balls and sports gear, this time together with Jeonbuk.

This initiative goes beyond mere material support; it aims to practice solidarity and friendship across borders through sports and to expand the foundation for exchange among future generations. In particular, sharing equipment that students actually used spreads the value of sharing while extending Jeonbuk’s international sports diplomacy into schools and the local community. The project originated from visits last year by officials from Zimbabwe and Namibia, with whom Jeonbuk has maintained international sports exchanges. During their visit to Jeonbuk Sports Middle & High School, they requested support for sports equipment. Students readily agreed to contribute, leading to a broader international exchange program supported by the State, the Office of Education, and the school. The donated items total 616 pieces across 12 sports, including soccer, taekwondo, shooting, archery, swimming, etc. —comprising both gear previously used by students and new items collected for this project. The equipment will be delivered to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and National Olympic Committees of each country via Zimbabwean diplomatic missions and international shipping. It will then be distributed to young athletes and youth active in organizations such as the Kirsty Coventry Academy in Zimbabwe, the Waitaka Taekwondo Club in Kenya, and the MTC Hopsol Youth Soccer League in Namibia.

Kim Jong-phil, Director General of Jeonbuk State’s 2036 Summer Olympics Bid Department, stated: “I hope the precious sports items that nurtured the dreams of our Jeonbuk students will serve as a new source of hope for African youth. Moving forward, we will continue to promote international exchange through sports, guided by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) core values of inclusion and solidarity.” Im Young-gun, Director of Arts, Physical Ed & Health Division at the Jeonbuk State Office of Education, said, “It was a meaningful opportunity for our students to put into practice the spirit of sportsmanship through sharing and caring while developing a global perspective. We hope that the students’ small but heartfelt gesture will be warmly received by young people in Africa.”

Meanwhile, Jeonbuk State has been steadily expanding its international sports network by dispatching a Taekwondo demonstration team to the World Taekwondo U-21 Championship in Kenya, participating in the World Union of Olympic Cities General Assembly, and broadening sports exchanges with African nations. Starting with the “Sports Friendship Gift” pilot project, Jeonbuk State plans to consider expanding the countries and sports covered by the initiative, while also promoting the hosting of international sporting events and exchange programs inviting young athletes from overseas, with the goal of developing Jeonbuk into a specialized international sports city.

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