Pakistani athletes pose for a photograph in the course of the “Parade of Nations” forward of New York Metropolis Marathon. — Reporter
KARACHI: As many as 36 Pakistanis and Pakistani-origin runners will compete within the 2024 New York Metropolis Marathon becoming a member of almost 50,000 runners from world wide on Sunday (tomorrow).
One of many six prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, the NYC Marathon is understood for its powerful, hilly course, which winds by all 5 boroughs of New York Metropolis and is a “bucket-list” occasion for marathon runners.
For Pakistani runners, this occasion marks each an athletic problem and a possibility to characterize their nation on a world stage.
Forward of tomorrow’s occasion, the collaborating runners showcased their satisfaction in the course of the Parade of Nations — a pre-race custom the place athletes from every nation carry their flags within the parade.
Shoaib Nizami, a outstanding title in Pakistan’s working group, led the contingent, carrying the Pakistani flag. The listing of Pakistani and Pakistan-origin runners contains an inspiring roster of runners, from seasoned veterans to first-time individuals.
Pakistani runner Shoaib Nizami pictured throughout a marathon. — Reporter
Representing Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora on the New York Metropolis 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, Kaukab Sarwar, Nosherwan Ali, Dr Ahmad Zubair, Maheen Sheikh, Syed Fahim, Ahmed Uzair, Anum Uzair, Danish Elahi, Faisal Shafi, Salman Chaudhry, and Qamar Zia.
“The New York City Marathon is one of the world’s major marathons and the toughest in elevation. So far, I have run Berlin, Chicago, and Tokyo, all of which were flat terrain. I am excited about this different experience,” he mentioned.
Whereas acknowledging the issue of the observe, Nizami mentioned that he stays centered on setting a brand new private document.
“It’s a challenging track for me, but my only goal is to do my personal best and hopefully achieve my PR [personal record] again,” he remarked.
The athlete can be a driving power behind Pakistan’s working scene, working to ascertain official marathons and encourage many within the nation.
“Developing 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-ever world athletics label race and qualifying race,” he mentioned.
Pakistani runner Kaukab Sarwar pictured throughout a marathon. — Reporter
In the meantime, Kaukab Sarwar — who has additionally represented Pakistan in worldwide biking occasions — will likely be aiming for her fourth Abbott World Main star, spoke about her pleasure and the significance of this milestone
“Feeling excited, it’s gonna be [a] challenging course, and I am excited to explore it,” she mentioned.
For Kaukab, finishing this marathon will carry her nearer to the purpose of incomes the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six-Star Medal.
“It’s part of my six-star journey for Abbott World Majors. And while crossing [the] finish line for NY, I will get my fourth star,” she defined.
Reflecting on the expansion of Pakistan’s working group, she acknowledged that it’s completely heartening to see that working in Pakistan is rising exponentially.
“It is very exciting to see more women coming to this sport […] this means we are developing a strong culture,” she mentioned.
In line with studies, the NYC Marathon is at all times a check of endurance, technique, and power, starting on Staten Island and concluding in Central Park. For lots of the Pakistani runners, the chance to sort out this demanding course is each a private and nationwide achievement.
Every participant carries the aspiration to not solely full the race but additionally to depart a mark on one of many world’s most prestigious marathons.
For these runners, representing Pakistan amongst tens of hundreds on Sunday is an opportunity to encourage many again house.
