36 Pakistanis to take part in New York City Marathon today

KARACHI: As many as 36 runners from Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora will take part in the 2024 New York City Marathon on Sunday (today), joining nearly 50,000 athletes from around the globe.

The New York City Marathon, part of the elite Abbott World Marathon Majors, is known for its challenging, hilly course. It passes through all five boroughs of New York City and is a dream race for runners worldwide.

For the Pakistanis competing, it’s both a tough test and a proud moment to represent their country on a big stage.

Ahead of Sunday’s race, the runners took part in the Parade of Nations, a pre-race event where athletes carry their country’s flags in a ceremony. Leading the Pakistani group was Shoaib Nizami, a well-known figure in Pakistan’s running community, who carried the Pakistani flag. Some runners also waved Palestinian flags as a show of solidarity.

Pakistani taking part are Dr. Salman Khan, Prem Kumar, Jamal Khan, Babar Ghias, Shoaib Nizami, Muhammad Fasih ul Saleh, Atiq ul Hassan, Masud Mahdi, Shahid Nawaz, Shazia Nawaz, Khoula Ahmed, Rufi Shahzada, Shariq Samad, Yasir Suleman Memon, Yawar Siddiqui, Rehman Azhar, Ammar Mumtaz, Abbas Naqvi, Raja Arif, Dr. Rizwan Khawaja, Junaid Memon, Jehanzeb Khan, Khalid Sheikh, Abdul Karim, Dr. Jahanzeb Mughal, Kaukab Sarwar, Nosherwan Ali, Dr. Ahmad Zubair, Maheen Sheikh, Syed Fahim, Ahmed Uzair, Anum Uzair, Danish Elahi, Faisal Shafi, Salman Chaudhry, and Qamar Zia.

Shoaib Nizami, a renowned marathoner in Pakistan, said he’s looking forward to the unique experience of this course, which has more elevation than any of the other major marathons he has run, such as Berlin, Chicago, and Tokyo.

“The New York City Marathon is one of the world’s major marathons and the toughest in elevation,” Nizami said. “I’m excited about this different experience. It’s a challenging track for me, but my only goal is to do my personal best.”

Back home, Nizami has been working to expand Pakistan’s running culture. His efforts include organising marathons and encouraging more people to get involved.

“Developing the running scene and bringing the official marathon to Pakistan are proud moments for me,” he said. “The next edition of the Karachi Marathon will be the first-ever world athletics label race and a qualifying race.”

Kaukab Sarwar, another runner representing Pakistan, said she’s thrilled to take on the course in her journey to earn the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six-Star Medal. The NYC Marathon will mark her fourth star.

“Feeling excited, it’s going to be a challenging course, and I’m ready to explore it,” she said.

Reflecting on the rising popularity of running in Pakistan, Kaukab said that it’s amazing to see more people taking up running, especially more women. “This means we are developing a strong culture,” she said.

The NYC Marathon is known for its tough 26.2-mile course, beginning on Staten Island and ending in Central Park.