This collage of images exhibits Pakistani sprinters Bilal Ahsan and Kaukab Sarwar. — Reporter
KARACHI: Pakistani runners made their mark on the Tokyo Marathon 2025, with Bilal Ehsan and Kaukab Sarwar main the cost because the quickest female and male individuals from the nation on the Tokyo Marathon.
The Tokyo Marathon was a private triumph for Kaukab Sarwar, the Karachi-based runner. She crossed the end line in 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 25 seconds. She not solely achieved her purpose of finishing the race underneath 4 hours but additionally turned the quickest Pakistani girl within the occasion.
“This was a tough race for me and a challenging one as well,” Sarwar shared after the marathon. “But the hard work and training ahead of the Tokyo Marathon paid off. I am glad that I achieved my target of completing it under 4 hours.”
Sarwar, who has turn into a task mannequin for aspiring feminine runners in Pakistan, emphasised the significance of teamwork and help. “I want to thank my running partners and training colleagues for their unwavering support throughout this process. There was a lot of learning as well, which I plan to share with runners when I am back in Pakistan.”
Islamabad primarily based Bilal Ehsan accomplished his fifth World Marathon Main in Tokyo, ending with a time of three:21:32. Regardless of the nice and cozy climate, which he described as a problem, Ehsan’s dedication to coaching and consistency shone by means of.
“Glad to complete my 5th Major at Tokyo Marathon,” Ehsan mentioned. “Not the best of the runs due to warm weather, but training paid off. When it comes to Marathon, it’s all about consistency.”
The Pakistani contingent on the Tokyo Marathon was a various mixture of runners from throughout the nation and the diaspora. Hamid Butt, a Lahore-based runner and Six Star Finisher, secured the second-fastest time amongst Pakistanis at 3:30:22. Bilal Saeed adopted intently with a time of three:31:01.
Faisal Shafi, one other Karachi-based athlete and Six Star Finisher, accomplished the race in 3:41:24, whereas Yawar Siddiqui, primarily based in Islamabad, completed in 3:48:45.
It’s value mentioning that Faisal was working the Tokyo Marathon for the 2nd time and this time his goal on the run was to boost the funds for Particular Olympics Pakistan.
Among the many different Pakistani girls, Maheen Sheikh, a Pakistani-British runner, completed in 4:01:27, whereas Khoula Ahmed, a Pakistani-Norwegian, crossed the road at 4:04:31. Pakistani-American Yusra Bokhari accomplished the marathon in 5:12:23.
The occasion additionally marked a milestone for Saad Usmani, a Pakistani-American runner, who achieved the Six Star Finisher standing after finishing his sixth World Marathon Main with a time of 6:12:34.
The Tokyo Marathon 2025 was dominated by elite worldwide athletes, setting a excessive commonplace for the worldwide working neighborhood. Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele gained the boys’s race with a time of two:03:23, adopted by compatriot Deresa Geleta at 2:03:51 and Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi at 2:04:00.
Within the girls’s class, Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede claimed victory in 2:16:31, with Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa Moseti ending second at 2:16:56 and Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa securing third place with a time of two:17:00.
The participation of Pakistani runners within the Tokyo Marathon is a celebration of resilience, unity, and the facility of sports activities to convey individuals collectively. From Karachi to Islamabad, and from the USA to Norway, these athletes carried the Pakistani flag with delight, inspiring numerous others to pursue their desires.
Pakistani Runners’ Timings:
1. Bilal Ehsan (Islamabad-based) – 3:21:32
2. Hamid Butt (Lahore-based) – 3:30:22
3. Bilal Saeed (Karachi-based) – 3:31:01
4. Faisal Shafi (Karachi-based) – 3:41:24
5. Yawar Siddiqui (Islamabad-based) – 3:48:45
6. Ammar Mumtaz (Islamabad-based) – 3:49:46
7. Atiq ul Hassan (Pakistani-American) – 3:49:46
8. Kaukab Sarwar (F) (Karachi-based) – 3:52:25
9. Maeen ud din (Pakistani-Emirati) – 3:53:49
10. Maheen Sheikh (F) (Pakistani-British) – 4:01:27
11. Khoula Ahmed (F) (Pakistani-Norwegian) – 4:04:31
12. Muhammad Junaid (Karachi-based) – 4:06:38
13. Jamal Khan (Pakistani-American) – 4:11:37
14. Salman Chaudhry (Pakistani-American) – 4:28:27
15. Imran Zaffar (Pakistani-Singaporean) – 4:40:30
16. Shahnawaz Malik (Pakistani-American) – 4:51:23
17. Imran Ahmed (Pakistani-Norwegian) – 4:56:54
18. Yusra Bokhari (F) (Pakistani-American) – 5:12:23
19. Anis Kasmani (Karachi-based) – 5:13:01
20. Hassan Madni (Karachi-based) – 5:13:02
21. M. Rizwan Khawaja (Pakistani-American) – 5:25:20
22. Anees Khawaja (Multan-based) – 5:43:00
23. Saad Usmani (Pakistani-American) – 6:12:34 (Six Star Finisher)
High 10 General Males’s Outcomes:
1. Tadese Takele (ETH) – 2:03:23
2. Deresa Geleta (ETH) – 2:03:51
3. Vincent Kipkemoi (KEN) – 2:04:00
4. Titus Kipruto (KEN) – 2:05:34
5. Asefa Uma (ETH) – 2:05:46
6. Benson Kipruto (KEN) – 2:05:46
7. Geoffrey Toroitich (KEN) – 2:05:46
8. Suldan Hassan (SWE) – 2:05:57
9. Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) – 2:05:59
10. Tsubasa Ichiyama (JPN) – 2:06:00
High 10 General Girls’s Outcomes:
1. Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) – 2:16:31
2. Winfridah Moraa Moseti (KEN) – 2:16:56
3. Hawi Feysa (ETH) – 2:17:00
4. Magdalyne Masai (KEN) – 2:19:28
5. Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) – 2:19:57
6. Desi Mokonin (BRN) – 2:20:07
7. Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) – 2:20:25
8. Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) – 2:20:26
9. Zhang Deshun (CHN) – 2:20:53
10. Jessica Stenson (AUS) – 2:22:56
