BERLIN: Pakistani Runners Make Their Mark at Berlin Marathon as Pakistani and Pakistani-origin athletes delivered notable performances at the 52nd edition of the prestigious 42.195-kilometre race, with around two dozen runners completing the event.
Among the key achievements, Maheen Sheikh and Ayesha Akhtar completed their Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star journey, while several other Pakistani runners recorded strong finishing times.
Pakistani Runners Make Their Mark at Berlin Marathon with notable performances
Muhammad Uzair Butt, who was born in Lahore and is based in Boston, was among the prominent Pakistani runners. He completed his first full marathon in 3 hours, 21 minutes and 27 seconds.
Butt covered the first 10 kilometres in 42 minutes and 43 seconds and reached the halfway point in 1 hour, 30 minutes and 38 seconds. Although his pace slowed during the second half, he finished strongly.
Butt described representing Pakistan at one of the world’s major marathon events as a special experience. He also recalled running through Berlin with the Pakistani flag and receiving encouragement from spectators.
Munir Imran records a negative split
Nineteen-year-old Karachi-based runner Munir Imran also put in a notable performance. Associated with the WNP Running Club, he completed the first half in 1 hour, 53 minutes and 39 seconds and the second half in approximately 1 hour, 51 minutes and 28 seconds.
His faster second half resulted in a negative split. Imran completed the final 2.195 kilometres in 11 minutes and 3 seconds, finishing the marathon in 3 hours, 45 minutes and 7 seconds.
Maheen Sheikh completes Six Star journey
For Maheen Sheikh, the Berlin Marathon marked the completion of an important personal milestone. She finished the race in 3 hours, 56 minutes and 8 seconds, completing all six Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Sheikh completed her Six Star journey over two years and five months. She said she had been experiencing physical discomfort before the Berlin race and therefore kept her expectations limited.
Despite the flat course, she said maintaining a consistent pace was challenging because of the large number of runners. She also faced stronger sunshine during the latter stages of the race.
Sheikh said she ran her first full marathon in late 2023 after 13 weeks of preparation. Having stayed away from sports during childhood because of a leg injury, she said completing the Six Star journey gave her renewed confidence in her abilities.
Ayesha Akhtar achieves Six Star milestone
Pakistani-origin American runner Ayesha Akhtar also completed her Six Star journey at the Berlin Marathon.
She covered the 42.195-kilometre distance in 4 hours, 53 minutes and 33 seconds, completing the series of six major marathon events.
Muhammad Tariq runs in solidarity with Palestine
British-Pakistani runner Muhammad Tariq from Karachi used his first marathon appearance to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.
He ran carrying a Palestinian flag and wearing a keffiyeh, while also displaying the message “Free Palestine.” Tariq completed the race in 5 hours, 2 minutes and 52 seconds.
He said support from runners and spectators representing different countries was a memorable part of the experience.
22 Pakistani finishers recorded
According to the list provided for the Berlin Marathon, 22 Pakistani or Pakistani-origin runners completed the race.
Muhammad Samad Siddiqui recorded a time of 3 hours, 25 minutes and 44 seconds, described in the supplied information as the second-fastest Pakistani timing. Bilal Umar finished in 3 hours, 47 minutes and 9 seconds, while Canada-based Saifullah completed the race in 3 hours, 48 minutes and 10 seconds.
Other Pakistani or Pakistani-origin finishers included Imran Ghayyur Ahmed, Muhammad Zubair Umar, Hammad Ali, Khalid Sheikh, Fatima Chaudhry, Umar Ansari, Mahwish Hanif, Farhad Nasir, Junaid Memon, Muhammad Rehan Rafi, Saleema Ali, Fahad Nadeem, Muhammad Zubairi and Amir Anwar Bhagat.
Berlin Marathon draws international field
The Berlin Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. More than 56,000 runners from 162 countries took part in the 52nd edition.
The 42.195-kilometre course passes through different parts and landmarks of the German capital, with runners heading towards the finish through the historic Brandenburg Gate.
In the elite men’s race, Ethiopia’s Guye Adola won in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 50 seconds. In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa finished first with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 4 seconds.
The performances of Pakistani and Pakistani-origin runners added another notable chapter to the country’s participation in international marathon events, while the Six Star achievements of Maheen Sheikh and Ayesha Akhtar marked significant milestones for the Pakistani running community.
