Pakistan’s top javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem has flown to the United Kingdom to undergo knee surgery in a bid to be fit before the Paris Olympics. (More Sports News)

Nadeem, who had claimed the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medal, had to withdraw from the Asian Games in China last year due to his knee problem.

"I have decided to have the knee surgery now because it has been bothering me a lot since last year and I tried rehab programs but they didn’t work," he said.

The 27-year-old is hopeful that having the surgery will allow him to be fit in time for the Paris Olympic Games.

Nadeem is one Pakistani athlete who has gained as much attention and popularity as cricketers in the country after he created a new Commonwealth Games record with a throw of 90.18 in Birmingham in 2022.

He also became the first Pakistani athlete to win a silver medal in the World Athletics Championships last year, falling behind India’s Neeraj Chopra.

In the Tokyo Olympic Games, Arshad finished fifth with a final throw of 86.1 metres.