Pakistani Runners Deliver Strong Performances at Sydney Marathon
More than 30 Pakistani and Pakistani-origin runners took part in the Sydney Marathon, joining thousands of athletes from around the world for the 42.195-kilometre race.
The event featured a scenic route through some of Sydney’s most recognizable landmarks, with the course starting in North Sydney, crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishing near the Sydney Opera House.
Among the Pakistani participants, Danish Elahi recorded the fastest time, completing the marathon in 3 hours, 29 minutes and 7 seconds.
Elahi, who was competing in his seventh marathon, had previously expressed his intention to wear a traditional Pakistani shalwar kameez during the race. His participation also highlighted his desire to present a positive image of Pakistan on an international platform.
Nowsherwan Ali of Karachi was the second-fastest Pakistani runner, finishing in 3 hours, 49 minutes and 11 seconds.
Among the female participants, Dr. Rabia Naeem posted the fastest Pakistani time, completing the course in 3 hours, 52 minutes and 25 seconds.
Other notable performances came from Islamabad’s Naveed Hassan, who finished in 3:55:58, followed by Aamir Butt at 3:57:06 and Hira Dewan at 3:57:24.
Karachi-based runner Kaukab Sarwar completed the race in 4:04:19, while Dr. Adnan Afzal crossed the finish line in 4:04:31.
Pakistani Runners and Finish Times
| Runner | Finish Time |
|---|---|
| Danish Elahi | 3:29:07 |
| Nowsherwan Ali | 3:49:11 |
| Dr. Rabia Naeem | 3:52:25 |
| Naveed Hassan | 3:55:58 |
| Aamir Butt | 3:57:06 |
| Hira Dewan | 3:57:24 |
| Kaukab Sarwar | 4:04:19 |
| Dr. Adnan Afzal | 4:04:31 |
| Umar Rashid | 4:21:53 |
| Nauman Akbar | 4:22:06 |
| Areeb Imran | 4:33:27 |
| Muhammad Yousuf | 4:37:09 |
| Mir Shehzad | 4:38:41 |
| Saud Siddiqui | 4:41:40 |
| Muhammad Muneeb | 4:47:15 |
| Khalid Sheikh | 4:47:35 |
| Nadia Kirnani | 4:48:38 |
| Faizan Lakhani | 4:54:41 |
| Syed Ammar Hussain | 4:54:49 |
| Dr. Jahanzeb Mughal | 4:55:19 |
| Hasnain Dharamsi | 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 |
| Arifullah | 6:06:37 |
| Jawad Yousuf | 6:09:27 |
| Tabish Mukhtar | 6:20:30 |
| Muhammad Shoaib Nizami | 6:34:53 |
Sydney Marathon Attracts Global Participation
The Sydney Marathon has become an important event on the international marathon calendar and is now part of the World Marathon Majors.
For Pakistani participants, the race provided an opportunity to compete on an international course, test months of preparation and represent Pakistan in a major global sporting event.
The performances also highlighted the growing interest in long-distance running among Pakistani athletes and the Pakistani diaspora.
For many runners, completing the 42.195-kilometre course was itself a significant personal achievement, regardless of their finishing position.
The Sydney Marathon continues to attract participants from a wide range of countries, combining competitive racing with a major international sporting experience.
