Sports
Pakistani runners make their mark at 2025 Chicago Marathon
Pakistani runners from around the world put up strong performances at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, one of the seven World Marathon Majors, which drew more than 53,000 participants this year.
The event saw a diverse group of Pakistani athletes – from those based in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to dual nationals and expatriates from the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, and the Gulf – proudly representing the green flag across 42.195 kilometres of Chicago’s streets.
Leading the Pakistani contingent was Syed Ali Hamza, a Pakistani-American based in Villanova, Pennsylvania, who completed the race in two hours, 55 minutes and 14 seconds, making him the fastest Pakistani finisher. He was followed by another USA-based runner of Pakistani origin, Salman Ilyas, who clocked 2:56:39, and Nizar Nayani, who finished in 2:57:43.
Nayani said running under the Pakistani banner added a special meaning to his achievement.
“Running a marathon is a self-challenge, and especially crossing the finish line and being able to represent as a Pakistani runner makes it all worth it,” he said.
Among those who travelled from Pakistan, one of the country’s top marathon runners, Faisal Shafi from Karachi, stood out with a time of 3:18:52, making him the fastest Pakistan-based runner this year. Shafi, a seasoned marathon runner and already a seven-star finisher, said he went into the race with a specific pacing strategy and achieved a personal milestone.
“I wanted to experiment with pacing in the second half,” he said. “I held my pace in the first 20–25 kilometres and then pushed harder later. This will remain my most memorable run because I ran my second half quicker than my first, something rare in long-distance running. I’m happy and proud of my performance.”
Another highlight from Pakistan was Dania Ali of Karachi, who made her World Marathon Major debut in Chicago. Training on the streets of Karachi, she achieved her personal record with a time of 4:45:07, marking a remarkable milestone in her running journey. Her achievement drew admiration from the local running community.
Among women, U.S.-based Aisha Qamar from Brooklyn was the fastest female Pakistani runner with a time of 3:00:51, while UK-based Maheen Suleman Sheikh, from London, clocked 3:55:29. Karachi’s Sana Malik completed the race in 4:26:27, describing the Chicago atmosphere as unforgettable.
“I think it went amazingly,” Sana said. “I’ve never experienced a crowd like Chicago’s. This was an experience to remember for decades, and I’ll keep working hard to show up better.”
Several other Pakistan-based runners also delivered commendable performances, including Bilal Umar (3:39:29), Shah Faisal Khan (3:57:36), Safdar Ali (4:06:45), Yasir Suleman Memon (4:18:40), and Muhammad Tajdar Iqbal (4:21:08) from Karachi, along with Muhammad Yawar Siddiqui (3:45:26) from Islamabad and Saood Hamid (5:20:05) from Lahore.
Pakistani runners from abroad also made their presence felt. Notable finishers included Osman Sarood (Pakistani-American, San Jose) in 3:44:59, Atiq Ul Hassan (Franklin) in 3:47:43, Abbas Naqvi (US-based) in 4:12:34, and Imran Zaffar (British-Pakistani) in 4:37:31.
A special moment came when Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, completed the marathon on his 54th birthday in 4:59:25. He was greeted by followers along the route with chants of “Happy Birthday!”.
Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo won the men’s elite title in 2:02:23, followed by Kenya’s Amos Kipruto (2:03:54) and Alex Masai (2:04:37). In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa Gejia claimed victory in 2:14:56, ahead of Megertu Alemu (2:17:18) and Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri (2:18:03).
From Villanova to Karachi and London to Riyadh, this year’s Chicago Marathon showcased the strength, unity, and spirit of Pakistani runners around the world. Their performances not only reflected individual excellence but also highlighted Pakistan’s growing footprint in the global marathon scene.
Chicago Marathon 2025: Pakistani Finishers Under 6 Hours
- Syed Ali Hamza PAK (USA) Villanova 2:55:14
- Salman Ilyas USA Sammamish 2:56:39
- Nizar Nayani USA Tomball 2:57:43
- Irtaza Haider PAK Evanston 3:00:50
- Aisha Qamar USA Brooklyn 3:00:51
- Faisal Shafi PAK Karachi 3:18:52
- Muhammad Shah PAK Cincinnati 3:23:12
- Bilal Umar PAK Karachi 3:39:29
- Khoula Ahmed NOR — 3:40:21
- Osman Sarood PAK (USA) San Jose 3:44:59
- Muhammad Yawar Siddiqui PAK Islamabad 3:45:26
- Atiq Ul Hassan PAK (USA) Franklin 3:47:43
- Maheen Suleman Sheikh PAK (GBR) London 3:55:29
- Shah Faisal Khan PAK Karachi 3:57:36
- Basil Khan PAK Chicago 4:02:17
- Safdar Ali PAK Karachi 4:06:45
- Babar Ghias USA Chicago 4:11:41
- Abbas Naqvi PAK (USA) Islamabad 4:12:34
- Adnan Afzal USA Spring 4:14:42
- Saba Lodhi PAK Wenatchee 4:17:00
- Yasir Suleman Memon PAK Karachi 4:18:40
- Muhammad Umer Shafiq PAK (USA) Islamabad 4:20:24
- Muhammad Tajdar Iqbal PAK Karachi 4:21:08
- Sana Malik PAK Karachi 4:26:27
- Khalid Sarfaraz PAK Abu Dhabi 4:36:46
- Imran Zaffar GBR Harrow 4:37:31
- Ghassan Tayyab PAK Naperville 4:42:45
- Dania Ali PAK Karachi 4:45:07
- Syed Ahsan Ejaz PAK Karachi 4:45:50
- Raja Arif Ullah Khan PAK Riyadh 4:49:56
- Muhammad Rizwan Khawaja USA Scottsdale 5:12:19
- Faraz Siddiqui PAK Weehawken 5:19:56
- Shazia Nawaz PAK (UAE) Lahore 5:20:05
- Saood Hamid PAK Lahore 5:20:05
- Usman Rao PAK (USA) Karachi 5:16:16
- Fawaz Qamar PAK Gujranwala 5:31:48
- Ahmed Khan PAK Bristol 5:47:47
- Muhammad Yousuf PAK Karachi 5:58:19
- Syeda Maimoona Hamdani PAK Karachi 5:58:31
Source: Website of Chicago Marathon
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Legendary England batter Geoffrey Boycott on Monday advised the Ben Stokes-led side to adopt a more strategic and thoughtful approach ahead of the second Ashes Test against Australia, scheduled for Thursday in Brisbane.
England suffered an agonising eight-wicket defeat in the series opener in Perth, which lasted less than two days, the first of which was dominated by the touring side as they had reduced the hosts to 123/9 after accumulating 172 all out.
The visitors now face another gruelling challenge in the blockbuster series as they take on the Baggy Greens in a pink-ball Test, in which the hosts boast a dominant record, having lost just one out of their previous 14 appearances, but Boycott, who has won Ashes both in England and Australia, believes that the Three Lions can win the upcoming game by adopting a calculated strategy.
He, however, warned England batters of self-destruction, advising them to “use their brains” and decide whether to attack or hold back after analysing the situation.
“But it doesn’t help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one finger hovering over the self-destruct button,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“Nobody is asking the players to stop being positive because they have given us some marvellous, thrilling and entertaining cricket. All we ask is for them to use their brains and realise there are times when they should throttle back and be aware of situations and bat accordingly,” he added.
Boycott, who represented England in 108 Tests and 36 ODIs, also slammed Stokes for his comments in which he referred to former cricketers as “has-beens” but expressed satisfaction over the all-rounder’s partial apology.
“To call past players ‘has-beens’ was disrespectful, especially as some of those ‘has-beens’ played in teams that won the Ashes in England and Australia,” Boycott wrote.
“I am glad Ben has half apologised, saying it was a slip of the tongue, because none of this team has won the Ashes in Australia. Get the job done, because then you don’t need to say anything and you can bask in all the glory coming your way.”
The Copa Libertadores trophy won by Flamengo on Saturday was damaged during the team’s title celebrations.
Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 in the final in Lima, Peru, to become the first Brazilian club to lift the prestigious cup four times.
Flamengo players and staff had a victory parade on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday afternoon, with an estimated 500,000 people joining in the celebrations.
Players and staff took turns to lift the cup during the parade and images showed that the top part of the trophy, which consists of a figurine of a footballer ready to kick a ball, was wrapped in what appeared to be masking tape.
– Flamengo lift Copa Libertadores, but Brazil’s players look exhausted
The figurine had earlier been broken.
Flamengo will be hoping to wrap up the Brazilian league title on Wednesday when they take on Ceara in front of their own fans in Rio’s Maracana stadium.
They are five points clear of Palmeiras at the top of the standings with two games remaining.
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