Pakistan’s runners made their mark at the London Marathon 2025, with Furqan Masood of Islamabad leading a spirited group of more than 40 Pakistani athletes and diaspora members who took on one of the world’s most iconic races.
Masood completed the marathon in an impressive 3 hours, 10 minutes, and 7 seconds, showcasing resilience and strong pacing in a race that drew over 56,000 participants.
Starting with a fast 20:44 for the first 5K and hitting the 10K mark at 42:09, he battled rising temperatures and fatigue in the latter half but dug deep to cross the finish line, earning 4,460th place overall.
“Crossing the finish line at the London Marathon was a deeply humbling experience,” Masood said after the race.
“We’re not professional athletes; we want to inspire people in Pakistan to embrace running as a passion and a healthier lifestyle.”
Close behind Masood was USA-based Salman Ilyas, finishing in 3:18:33, with Norway’s Muhammad Fasih Saleh (3:21:54) and Hamza Saleem (3:23:10) also delivering strong performances. Shah Syed was just two seconds behind Saleem, clocking 3:23:12.
Among the women, Norway-based Amy Mir stood out by finishing her first-ever marathon in 3:52:00, despite limited training. “I hadn’t trained beyond 17K, but the energy of the crowd carried me through,” she said.
Veteran runner Hamid Butt from Lahore made history by becoming the first Pakistani to complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors twice, earning his second Six Star Medal with a time of 3:41:45.
Meanwhile, at the Manchester Marathon, UAE-based Azmat Khan led the Pakistani contingent with a 3:15:48 finish, while Karachi’s Danish Raza and his son Abrar Ahmed completed the race together in 4:55. British Pakistani doctor Ahmed Zubair also finished Manchester’s course in 6:37:52.
In the elite London races, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe won the men’s division in a rapid 2:02:27, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa dominated the women’s race with a winning time of 2:15:50.
The growing presence of Pakistani runners on global marathon stages signals a rising passion for endurance sports within the community — blending personal achievement with national pride.
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