Arshad Nadeem was the man of the hour on Monday morning when he allowed the audience to be part of history as they witnessed him launch his javelin to claim gold at the National Games.

It was not lost on the 28-year-old that the crowd of a few hundred was delighted by his very presence at the PNS Karsaz ground, his throws the cherry on the top as they got to see an Olympic champion in action before their very own eyes.

A robust lineup of track and field events crescendoed with the start of the men’s javelin, headlined by Arshad. A dozen cameramen lined the javelin sector’s periphery to get the perfect shot of Arshad in action as the heat bore down on the synthetic rubber track, the sun climbing higher in the sky to signal the advent of afternoon.

The track reverberated with the soft thud of spikes and echoes of the commentators’ effusive praise for Pakistan’s sporting hero ahead of his first throw of 78.74m that, unsurprisingly, guaranteed him the lead.

“Yeh din Arshad ka hai (this day belongs to Arshad) because he’s the Olympic record holder, and we’re honoured to have him here,” the commentators said.

Praise and appreciation were meted out in equal measure for Yasir Sultan, silver medallist at the Islamic Solidarity Games last month and the closest athlete to potentially challenge Arshad for first place.

“Make videos, take photos, keep a digital memory of this moment — that Arshad Nadeem was here to compete and you witnessed greatness with your own eyes!” the commentator’s voice boomed through the speakers.

The injury-prone athlete was speculated to throw just once, but a sense of disappointment and a thirst for satisfaction was written on his face after two throws in the late 70s.

He wanted to breach the 80m mark — hardly a feat for him when his personal best stands at 92.97m — and he willed it into existence with his third and final throw of 81.81m as he pumped his fists in the air and a smile spread across his face.

Yasir’s lone throw of 70m was enough to secure silver and give Wapda a top-two podium finish as he avoided aggravating an injury, while Army’s Abrar Ali won bronze with a 67.68m throw.

Finishing in sixth place was Arshad’s younger brother Aleem, not quite the replica of the family jewel but perhaps a work in progress to reach that level of sporting excellence.

Arshad’s coach Salman Butt was giving him advice in between throws before pivoting back to Arshad with technical advice and motivation.

Arshad was showered with well-wishes and selfies and handshakes from the end of the event till the medal ceremony.

The international superstar looked just as pleased with the local stardom he radiates everywhere he goes, his very presence at an event marking it as historic.

“If this event were happening in any other South Asian country, people would be leaning out the windows to get a glimpse of his throw,” one of the commentators said.

“We’re thankful that the Olympic record holder is here competing among the younger players and inspiring the next generation. This day will be remembered for ages to come.”

Just four days before the National Games basketball event was set to tip-off, the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF) was told the venue was gone. With teams arriving and no court to play on, the event itself was in jeopardy.

“We arranged everything in almost two days,” PBBF secretary Yaqoob Qadri told Dawn, revealing a significant off-court challenge. “There were some people who don’t want the event to happen.”

Yet, on Sunday, the roar of a packed crowd for the Army-Sindh clash at the North Nazimabad Gymkhana in Karachi was the definitive answer. Against a backdrop of administrative hurdles, the players delivered a classic on the hardwood: a tale of Army’s clinical system slowly dismantling Sindh’s passionate home stand, culminating in a 97-62 victory.

The roar in the arena was for Sindh. Every steal, every basket by the home team sent waves of noise crashing onto the court. But standing across from that passion was the cold, tall geometry of the Pakistan Army team. What unfolded was a classic clash of heart versus system.

The start was all Sindh. Feeding off the overwhelming home support, they edged a tight first quarter 6-4. Army’s towering presence, anchored by the 7’3“ frame of Taglub Ammar, was a problem.

“We took our competition lightly that’s why Sindh edged us in the first quarter,” Taglub admitted to Dawn.

Army’s top-scorer Shiraz Aslam, who initially missed some of his three-point shots struggled in start found his rhythm.

Sindh’s in-game leader, Ans Azhar, pinpointed the turning point.

“In the first quarter we started brilliantly and I guess that’s where we spent most of our energy,” he told Dawn. “In the second quarter when that wave passed we couldn’t keep the same intensity and that’s where they hurt us.”

That hurt was methodical. Army began dominating the second balls, converting rebounds into points and punishing every seldom mistake.

The tall player was no longer just a threat; he became the central piece of an unsolvable equation.

“We were to some extent not able to overpower them in some exchanges,” Ans conceded. “I wouldn’t say that it was a total mismatch but Army’s athletes are fittest of our country.”

By halftime, Army led 15-12. By the third quarter, the lead had swelled to 20. The crowd, still raising the roof, willed a comeback, but Army had locked in.

“We came prepared and were always confident of the comeback,” Shiraz said, who revelled in the electric atmosphere. “This is what we play for… The atmosphere today made the match very exciting.”

The final quarter was a formality, the gap insurmountable. Sindh’s physical effort, which saw them “commit too many fouls” and give away nearly 20 points from the line, was a testament to their fight.

“Against a team like Army you can’t shy away from those duels,” Ans stated. “We were very physical in the game… you play to win no matter what.”

Despite the loss, Sindh’s leader found perspective and promise.

“Obviously wasn’t the result we wanted… but we are still a work in progress,” Ans said, already looking ahead. “But one thing that I can ensure is that it will be improved and [we will] beat those professional sides at the top level with the same bunch.”

A theme of dominance

The men’s result echoed through the women’s bracket, where professional department teams showcased their structural advantage. The Army women routed Balochistan 56-6, while Wapda, the most dominant force in women’s basketball, cruised past Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 66-24.

For Wapda’s Kainat Zafar, the win was a controlled step towards the gold.

“We were trying to conserve our energy and avoid injuries,” she explained while talking to Dawn. “We tried to stick to the basics.”

She credits their dynasty to chemistry built over years together as a department — a key edge over provincial sides.

“The chemistry among the players is what I think keeps us on the top,” she said.

Yet, even in dominance, there’s respect. “Our main rivals are always Army,” Kainat noted, setting the stage for the tournament’s likely climax.

Pakistan Army served a powerful reminder of their sporting prowess, seizing 12 gold medals across multiple disciplines as the National Games charged through a pulsating day of action.

Their goldrush on Sunday was spearheaded by utter dominance in taekwondo and sharp shooting on the ranges.

The clearest demonstration of authority came in the taekwondo Poomsae events, where Army fighters ruled the roost, clinching eight gold medals across age categories.

Their women set the tone: Sana Sabir (Under-50), Naila (U-30), Mehar-Un-Nisa (U-40) and Zeena Sheraz (Under-20)  all stood atop the podium. The men followed suit with Adil Hussain (U-30), Mohammad Mumtaz (U-40), Irshad Ali (U-50) and Syed Zohaib (U-20) securing their own golds.

On the shooting ranges, Army and Navy engaged in a high-class duel, sharing three gold medals apiece.

Navy swept the 10m air pistol events, with Rabia Kabir (232.2) edging Army’s Rimsha Nadeem (231.6) for individual glory before teaming with Rasam Gul and Hadia Liaquat for team gold.

Army struck back in the 25m rapid fire pistol through Mohammad Shabbir while Navy’s G. M. Bashir, Maqbool Hussain and Abdul Quddus took the team title.

Army also claimed both skeet Olympic titles, with Imam Haroon (score 49) leading the charge.

Sindh’s first gold

The day’s most dramatic narrative unfolded away from the established powers, as the Sindh women’s netball team rose above a feisty, fractious final to secure a domineering 20-12 victory over favourites Wapda, claiming a statement gold — a first for the contingent.

It was a triumph of provincial grit over a departmental side with year-round training access.

“That makes this even better,” Sindh skipper Quratulain told Dawn. Team-mate Huma echoed the hunger for more support: “We’ll go a long way if we get that opportunity.”

The match itself descended into chaos. After Sindh seized a 13-9 half-time lead, the stifling heat seemed to boil over.

A third-quarter collision escalated into a shoving match. In the final quarter, a Wapda player made an expletive gesture, inciting the crowd. Sindh held their nerve, but sportsmanship evaporated at the final buzzer.

Handshakes were skipped, and an hour later, a sullen Wapda and bronze-winning Army drowned out Sindh’s celebrations with chants of “losers, losers!”

“The girls need their own court,” said Sindh coach Humaira Huma, a pioneer of Pakistan’s first national team. “Today was just a month’s practice. Imagine what they could do.”

In stark contrast, the men’s final was a pure sporting contest, with Army staging a last-gasp comeback to clinch gold 27-26 against Navy.

Hosts overwhelmed

On the basketball court, Army’s men showcased their systemic power, overcoming a raucous home crowd to dismantle Sindh 97-62.

Sindh started strong, leading 6-4 early. “We started brilliantly, but I guess that’s where we spent most of our energy,” Sindh’s leader Ans Azhar told Dawn.

Army’s towering 7’3“ center, Taglub Ammar, proved unsolvable. “We took the competition lightly initially,” Taglub conceded. Once settled, Army took control, leading 15-12 at halftime and stretching it to 20 by the final quarter.

Top-scorer Shiraz Aslam revelled in the atmosphere: “This is what we play for… The crowd made the match very exciting.”

Sindh’s physicality cost them nearly 20 points from free throws.

“We were very physical… you play to win,” said Ans, who vowed improvement: “We will beat those professional sides.”

In women’s basketball, the powerhouses marched on.

Army delivered a merciless 56-6 rout of Balochistan while Wapda, led by Kainat Zafar, powered past Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 66-24.

“We were trying to conserve energy and avoid injuries,” said Kainat, highlighting Wapda’s key advantage. “This chemistry is the advantage we have over provincial teams.”

Crushing win

Other sports saw their opening salvos. In a staggering display, Wapda’s women’s hockey team crushed Balochistan 18-0, with ten players on the scoresheet.

On the badminton courts, stars like Mahoor Shahzad (Wapda) and Palwasha Bashir (Sindh) led their teams comfortably into the semi-finals.

Army and Punjab also ensured progress with dominant wins.

Murad Ali (KP), Pakistan’s number one, led his team into the last-four in the men’s section as his side beat Railways to advance in the semis.

Army and Police also confirmed their berths in the next round.

The fencing mat witnessed a historic gold for the Higher Education Commission (HEC), delivered by Abdul Mussawir, who dashed Balochistan’s title hopes in the final.

Other sports that kicked off on Sunday included, rugby, volleyball, baseball, softball and table tennis.

Action continues across Karachi on Monday, with Army’s golden machine looking to build on a formidable lead, and provincial sides like Sindh aiming to channel their fighting spirit into more podium finishes.