Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)
More than 1,500 runners, including local and foreign athletes, participated in the first
certified international marathon in Karachi. The event was organized
by Sports in Pakistan in collaboration with the government of Sindh .
Speaking as a chief guest, Dr. Junaid Shah, Minister for Sports,
Culture, and Youth, Government of Sindh, said the international
marathon in Karachi was a notable success for Pakistan, as this was
organized on a high standard similar to marathons held in Paris,
London, and New York. The marathon recorded a great achievement for
the country to be a regular feature for the country and the city in
the future.
The distance categories on offer were the full marathon (42.2km), half
marathon (21.1km), 5k (5km), and marathon relay. The Marathon Relay
featured teams of participants, in which each participant completed
one quarter (10.55km) of the full marathon distance.
The course of the event was certified by AIMS and World Athletics, the
international governing bodies for long-distance running. The starting
line was at Nishan, Pakistan, from where the course headed southeast
along the coastline. The timing system made use of state-of-the-art
electronic chips.
Handsome cash prizes were handed out to the top finishers in the full
marathon, half marathon, and relay categories. As an affirmation of
gender equality, the prize amounts were kept equal for both men and
women. The winners were given cash prizes of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 500,000
in different categories for different positions.
“We are proud of our efforts to bring a certified marathon to this
great city,” said Shoaib Nizami, CEO of Sports in Pakistan, the agency
behind the event. “This sports event was not just a race, but a
celebration of the enduring spirit of Karachi.”
The marathon gave a platform to hundreds of athletes in Pakistan to
show their best talent to the world, and it is expected that more
runners will be participating in the next event. We are thankful to
all the individuals who brought the event to life with their
determination and love for running. We hope to see even more runners
at the next edition of the event.”.
