Three dozen Pakistanis, members of the diaspora to run in the New York City Marathon

KARACHI: As many as 36 Pakistani and Pakistani-origin runners will compete in the 2024 New York Marathon joining nearly 50,000 runners from around the world on Sunday (tomorrow).

One of Abbott’s six famous world marathons, the New York City Marathon is known for its tough, hilly course that crosses all five New York boroughs and is a “bucket list” event for marathoners.

For Pakistani runners, this event marks both a sporting challenge and an opportunity to represent their nation on a global stage.

Ahead of tomorrow’s event, participating runners showed their pride during the Parade of Nations — a pre-race tradition where athletes from each country carry their flags in the parade.

Shoaib Nizami, a prominent name in the Pakistani running community, led the expedition, carrying the Pakistani flag. The list of runners from Pakistan and Pakistani origin includes an inspiring list of runners, from seasoned veterans to first-time participants.

Representing Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora in the New York Marathon 2024 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, Nosherab Ali, Dr Ahmad Zubair, Maheen Sheikh, Syed Fahim, Ahmed Uzair, Anum Uzair, Danish Elahi, Faisal Shafi, Salman Chaudhry and Qamar Zia.

Nizami, one of Pakistan’s top runners, while talking to Geo Newsextended to the New York Marathon and the unique challenge it poses.

“The New York Marathon is one of the most important marathons in the world and the most difficult at altitude. So far, I’ve run in Berlin, Chicago and Tokyo, all on flat ground. I’m excited about this different experience,” he said. . .

Acknowledging the difficulty of the track, Nizami said he remains focused on setting a new personal record.

“It’s a tough track for me but my only aim is to do my best and hopefully I can get my PR [personal record] again,” he remarked.

The athlete is also a driving force behind Pakistan’s running scene, working to establish official marathons and inspiring many in the country.

“Growing the running scene and bringing the official marathon to Pakistan are proud moments for me. The next edition of the Karachi Marathon will also be the first world track and field event,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kaukab Sarwar – who has also represented Pakistan at international cycling events – will be aiming for a fourth Abbott World Major star, spoke of her excitement and the significance of the milestone

“Feeling excited, it will be [a] challenging path and I’m excited to explore it,” she said.

For Kaukab, completing this marathon will bring her closer to her goal of winning the six-star Abbott World Marathon Majors medal.

“It’s part of my six-star journey for the Abbott World Majors. And in transit [the] finish line for New York, I’ll get my fourth star,” he explained.

Reflecting on the growth of Pakistan’s running community, he said that it is absolutely heartening to see that running in Pakistan is growing exponentially.

“It’s very exciting to see more women coming into this sport […] This means we are developing a strong culture,” he said.

According to reports, the New York City Marathon is always a test of endurance, strategy and strength, starting in Staten Island and ending in Central Park. For many of the Pakistani runners, the opportunity to tackle this challenging course is as much a personal as a national achievement.

Each participant has the ambition not only to complete the race but also to leave a mark on one of the world’s most famous marathons.

For these runners, representing Pakistan among tens of thousands on Sunday is an opportunity to inspire many back home.