Thousands of runners impatiently wait for the ‘on your marks, get set, go!’ call at the starting point of the Karachi marathon on Sunday morning. Almost all segments of society, age groups and particularly differently-abled people, take part in the race in different categories.—Shakil Adil / White Star

       KARACHI: The main roads around the Moin Khan Academy in DHA Phase 8 on Sunday had crowds gathering from early morning when it was still quite dark for the 3rd Commissioner Karachi City Marathon.

       After skipping one year due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country, this year’s marathon saw over 10,000 contestants and spectators who more than doubled that number.

       From their attire one could easily tell apart the runners from the ones, who had come to watch and cheer them along. The runners were in white, black, orange and blue jerseys with their registration numbers pasted on the front and back and they were all wearing running shoes, of course. Different organisations had also entered their contestants who had their organisation logos printed on their jerseys, too.

       The serious runners were seen warming up and the ones who were there to only take part and put it to experience could be seen occupying the footpaths in groups as they chatted with friends. The serious runners looked at them and smiled. They knew they were there for the first time but it won’t be the last. The City Marathon grows on you.

       Dawn’s very own journalist Tahir Siddiqui was there for the third time. Having won the marathon in his category twice before, he was on a hat-trick but not feeling victory this time due to a brief recent illness. “But I’m going to finish the race. I’m not going to quit midway,” the 59-year-old runner told his own newspaper near the starting line.

       There was also another very enthusiastic senior, 68-year-old Mohammed Ali from the Pakistan Medical Association team. He said he was a former boxer and wanted to see how he would fare in the race at his age.

       The marathon had several categories. There was the Under-19 category for males and females, the U-29 for males and females, the 29 and above category for males and females and the 50 plus category for males and females along with two shorter races for ages 13 and under and differently-abled persons.

       There was a schoolteacher Rabia Fazal Ilahi from the Social Bond School in Korangi, who had motivated her students to also enter. They were a big chatty group of 60 young ladies and 50 young men. They didn’t think they would bag any position in the marathon as they had not had much time to practice but thought it would be great fun to take part at least.

       There were Shanzay, Tabassum and Gul-e-Shadab, all lab technicians standing out in bright orange from the Dr Farah Essa Academy, also there just for the fun of it.

       Talat Sohail was there to support her son Ali Mohammed, a Pakistan Air Force cadet from Murree, running in the U-19 category. “I’m a habitual runner, I’m always in training,” said the confident young man.

       Madiha Yameen was cheering for her 10-year-old son Ahmed. When asked what she fed the kid for breakfast, the mother laughed and reported that her son was not up to having a big breakfast early and only had a slice of bread though he did get hungry on his way there in the car and helped himself to potato crisps.

       More youngsters in the one kilometre fun race for 13 and under included Ammad Gul, who had been training on a treadmill at home, and his friends Hammad, Mahmood and Jawad.

       Mohammed Bilal was taking part in the 25 metres wheelchair race for the differently-abled and said that he had been training throughout the past week. But when it came to winning that race, the top three places were taken by a very sporty lot Fida Hussain, Mohammed Irfan and Mohammed Ayub in that order. All three were competing in special sports wheelchairs as they are also part of the wheelchair tennis, basketball and cricket teams.

       During the prize distribution ceremony, Karachi Commissioner Mohammed Iqbal Memon said that he was glad to see the City Marathon draw so many people. “It looked more like Eid Day than a running event,” he said.

       Sindh Chief Minister’s special assistant Arbab Lutfullah, the British deputy high commissioner and the council generals of Turkey and Germany were also present.

       Winners:

       U-19 (male) 10.3km

       1st: Usama Hasan

       2nd: Ahsan Iqbal

       3rd: Gul Badeen

       U-19 (female) 6.3km

       1st: Mumtaz Naimat

       2nd: Sahrish Qayyum

       3rd: Iqra Riaz

       U-29 (male) 10.3km

       1st: Sohail Amir

       2nd: Mohammed Akhtar

       3rd: Mohammed Sajjad

       U-29 (female) 6.3km

       1st: Erum Shahzadi

       2nd: Maria Nawaz

       3rd: Areeba Abdul Aziz

       29 above (male) 10.3km

       1st: Israr Mohammed

       2nd: Mohammed Yasir

       3rd: Nasrullah

       29 and above (female) 6.3km

       1st: Khadija Kazmi

       2nd: Farah Mehwish

       3rd: Mashaal Hussain

       50 Plus 6.3km

       1st: Zakir Musa

       2nd: Mohammed Essa

       3rd: Hikmatullah

       Special prizes:

       Tahir Siddiqui and Munawwar

       Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2022