SYDNEY: Danish Elahi was the fastest Pakistani runner at the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, completing the 42.195-kilometre race in 3 hours, 29 minutes and 7 seconds as a sizeable Pakistani and Pakistani-origin contingent took part in one of the world’s major marathon events.
Elahi finished ahead of Nosherwan Nawazish Ali, who clocked 3:49:11, while Dr Rabia Naeem was the fastest Pakistani woman, completing the race in 3:52:25.
Muhammad Naveed Hasan finished in 3:55:58, followed by Aamar Butt in 3:57:06 and Hira Diwan in 3:57:24.
The Sydney Marathon attracted more than 40,000 runners from more than 140 countries, according to the organisers, and is now part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. The race takes runners across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and through some of the city’s most recognisable landmarks before finishing near the Sydney Opera House.
Elahi, who was running his seventh marathon, had said before the race that he would wear shalwar kameez as part of an effort to present a positive and softer image of Pakistan.
Among the other notable Pakistani performances, Kaukab Sarwar finished in 4:04:19, Dr Adnan Afzal in 4:04:31, Umer Rasheed in 4:21:53 and Noman Akbar in 4:22:06.
Areeb Imran crossed the line in 4:33:27, while Muhammad Yousuf and Mir Shahzad finished in 4:37:09 and 4:38:41 respectively.
Khalid Sheikh completed the race in 4:47:35, while Dr Jehanzeb Mughal finished in 4:55:19 and Hasnain Dharamsey in 4:58:38.
Among the later finishers, Qamar Zia recorded 5:21:11, Muhammad Zaid Farooq 5:46:42, Zain Alam 5:51:48, Junaid Memon 5:59:03, Arif Ullah 6:06:37, Jawwad Yusuf 6:09:27, Tabish Mukhtar 6:20:30 and Mohammad Shoaib Nizami 6:34:53.
Among those completing the race was Geo News Deputy Sports Editor Faizan Lakhani, who finished in 4:54:41.
For Lakhani, Sydney marked his third full marathon and his first Abbott World Marathon Major, following months of training and preparation. He also used the race to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK.
The Pakistani participation reflected the growing presence of runners from the country and its diaspora at major international marathons, with participants representing communities based in Pakistan, Australia, the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia.
Pakistani runners — full results
- Danish Elahi — 3:29:07
- Nosherwan Nawazish Ali — 3:49:11
- Dr Rabia Naeem — 3:52:25
- Muhammad Naveed Hasan — 3:55:58
- Aamar Butt — 3:57:06
- Hira Diwan — 3:57:24
- Kaukab Sarwar — 4:04:19
- Dr Adnan Afzal — 4:04:31
- Umer Rasheed — 4:21:53
- Noman Akbar — 4:22:06
- Areeb Imran — 4:33:27
- Abdul Wahab Qureshi — 4:35:26
- Muhammad Yousuf — 4:37:09
- Mir Shahzad — 4:38:41
- Saud Siddiqi — 4:41:40
- Muhammad Muneeb — 4:47:15
- Khalid Sheikh — 4:47:35
- Nadia Karnani — 4:48:38
- Faizan Lakhani — 4:54:41
- Syed Ammar Husain — 4:54:49
- Dr Jehanzeb Mughal — 4:55:19
- Hasnain Dharamsey — 4:58:38
- Abu Muhammad — 5:14:34
- Qamar Zia — 5:21:11
- Muhammad Zaid Farooq — 5:46:42
- Zain Alam — 5:51:48
- Junaid Memon — 5:59:03
- Arif Ullah — 6:06:37
- Jawwad Yusuf — 6:09:27
- Tabish Mukhtar — 6:20:30
- Mohammad Shoaib Nizami — 6:34:53
