KARACHI: Some 7,000 runners from across Pakistan, and more than 120 international participants representing over 25 countries, were up, stretching and warming up on Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue even before the sun came up. They were all there for the third BYD Karachi Marathon from the A.K. Khan Park at Nishan-i-Pakistan to DHA Club, with various distances and U-turns marked for the running categories, here on Sunday.

There was a men and women’s category for the full marathon, which spanned 42.195km. A relay also boasting the same distance, though divided into four parts for four members of a team, saw each of them running a distance of about 10.5km.

A half marathon of 21.1km length also saw many enthusiastic participants though the biggest number of runners, including women, children and elderly runners, were witnessed in the 5km fun run designed for beginners and community groups. While, all the other categories started at 6:30am, the fun 5km run began at 10:00am.

According to Shoaib Nizami, CEO Sports in Pakistan and Race Director, the individual running time for each and every registered runner was being recorded.

“So those who started a few minutes late need not worry,” he told Dawn.

“The progress of the participants can also be checked through an app. There are also Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in their number bibs,” he added.

Still, most of the runners were not really looking for glory as many of them said they were not there to win but finish the race, or just for fun and not hard competition.

And yet there were runners like nine-year-old Kainat Khalil, looking forward to hard competition. Even after the National Games fiasco where she was barred from running in the 5,000m race after winning bronze in the 10,000m race, she was registered for the half marathon.

Of course achieving best time there, she was discovered again and presented with an honorary prize in the end. The organisers called out her coach for doing an injustice to a child this young by entering her in long races.

“A nine-year-old’s body is not yet ready to take on such challenges of endurance. The allowed age for the full marathon is 13 years and above,” it was pointed out.

Meanwhile, the top male and female runners of the full marathon, Israr Khattak (2 hours, 59 minutes and 58 seconds) and Sara Lodhi (3 hours, 33 minutes and 51 seconds) got more than just the prize purse of Rs500,000.

The marathon’s official partners announced that in alignment with Vision 2032, which aims to prepare Pakistani runners to qualify and compete at the Olympics, they will sponsor them to participate at this year’s London Marathon.

While thanking the organisers and sponsors, Israr said that he was happy to have won the marathon though he had slightly fallen behind on his last year’s timing of 2:30:13.

Sara, who had flown in from Dubai to run in the marathon, her first in Karachi but 11th altogether, said that she loved the running environment of Karachi alongside beach, with people of all ages taking part in the various distance marathons, running alongside her.

Besides, the Rs500,000 for first place, there was Rs250,000 for second place, and Rs125,000 for third place finishers in the full marathon.

In the relay category, the Dalmia Strike team was first to take home the top prize of Rs50,000, as Zamaray Athletics was second to receive Rs30,000 and The Young Incredibles were third to claim the Rs20,000 prize.

In the male category of the half marathon Mohammad Akhtar (1 hour, 19 minutes and 29 seconds) was first, Atta Us Samad was second (1 hour, 19 minutes and 48 seconds) and Faizan Faiz was third (1 hour, 20 minutes and 11 seconds).

In the female category of the half marathon Kaukab Sarwar was first (1 hour, 53 minutes and 57 seconds), Dr Rabia Naeem second (1 hour, 58 minutes and 0.4 seconds) and Dr Zoha Poonawala was third (1 hour, 59 minutes and 20 seconds).

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2026