Arshad Nadeem to skip lausanne diamond league for South Africa training camp

Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem has decided to skip the upcoming Lausanne Diamond League and instead focus on an overseas training camp in South Africa.

Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem has decided to skip the upcoming Lausanne Diamond League and instead focus on an overseas training camp in South Africa.

The 2026 Lausanne Diamond League is scheduled to take place in Switzerland on August 21. Nadeem was initially included in the event’s entry list, but he has now opted to prioritize training and preparation ahead of his upcoming international competitions.

Nadeem is currently training at Punjab Stadium in Lahore and is expected to spend around two weeks training in South Africa. Reports indicate that he plans to travel to Potchefstroom once his visa arrangements are completed.

The decision comes after a disappointing outing at the recent 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where Nadeem finished ninth among 12 competitors with a best throw of 77.41 metres. He failed to progress beyond the first three throws in the final.

Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the Commonwealth Games javelin gold medal with an impressive throw of 89.75 metres, while Nadeem was unable to defend his title at the event.

Despite the setback, Nadeem remains one of Pakistan’s leading track and field athletes. He won Olympic gold in the men’s javelin throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics, producing an Olympic-record throw of 92.97 metres.

The Lausanne event had initially attracted considerable attention because Nadeem was listed among a strong javelin field. His withdrawal means he will instead use the coming weeks to work on his form and conditioning in South Africa.

Nadeem’s next major appearances are expected to include the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest from September 6 to 14, followed by the Asian Games. The decision to skip Lausanne appears aimed at giving the Olympic champion additional preparation time before those important competitions.

For Nadeem, the South Africa training camp could provide an opportunity to address the issues exposed by his recent Commonwealth Games performance. Rather than immediately returning to competition, the javelin star will now have additional time to train and prepare for the remainder of the 2026 season.

His withdrawal from Lausanne also highlights the importance of managing his competition schedule while preparing for major championships. Fans will now be watching closely to see whether the additional training helps Nadeem regain his best form in his next international appearance.