Pakistani athletes delivered an impressive performance at the annual Istanbul Marathon held on Sunday. The event is known as the world’s only intercontinental marathon, connecting Asia and Europe.
A total of 12 athletes represented Pakistan in the 42.195-kilometer full marathon. Mubarez bin Rafiq led the pack with a strong finish, completing the race in 3 hours 21 minutes and 30 seconds. He was followed by Mujtaba Ahsan, who clocked 3 hours 23 minutes, while Ismail Khan, who lives in Istanbul, secured third place among the Pakistani runners with a time of 4 hours 3 minutes.
Geo News Deputy Sports Editor Faizan Lakhani also participated in his first-ever marathon, completing the full distance in 5 hours 13 minutes.
In the women’s category, Sehar Ali Janjua led the way by finishing in 4 hours 22 minutes, followed by Hina Malik, who completed the race in 4 hours 49 minutes.
Other Pakistani participants included Umar Rasheed, Zain Ahmed, Kashif Raza, Mehr Wish Hanif, Sadaf Saad, and Haziq Khalid.
All the runners wore green shirts to represent Pakistan, and they received a warm welcome from spectators as they crossed the iconic Bosphorus Bridge.
More than 41,000 runners from 126 countries took part in the Türkiye İş Bankası 47th Istanbul Marathon, organized by Spor İstanbul. The race holds World Athletics’ prestigious Gold Label status and featured 5,976 runners in the 42-kilometer category, 12,440 in the 15.5-kilometer run, 18,000 in the Corporate Run, and 5,000 in the Public Run.
The route began on the Asian side of the city, 250 meters behind the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, and ended at Sultanahmet Square on the European side.
In the men’s elite race, Kenya’s Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo claimed victory with a time of 2 hours 10 minutes 12 seconds. Last year’s winner, Dejene Debela of Kenya, finished second in 2 hours 10 minutes 23 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Sufaro Woliyi took third in 2 hours 10 minutes 26 seconds.
In the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Bizuager Aderra won the race in 2 hours 26 minutes 19 seconds, followed closely by compatriot Sofia Assefa at 2 hours 26 minutes 21 seconds. Kenya’s Joan Jepkosgei secured third place with a time of 2 hours 26 minutes 36 seconds.
Winners received $50,000 for first place, $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third, with prize money awarded down to eighth place, who earned $1,000.
Separate awards were given to the top Turkish runners, with the top five in both men’s and women’s categories sharing a total of $9,515. The first-place Turkish athlete received $1,428, followed by $1,190, $952, $714, and $476.
In the wheelchair category, the top four finishers earned $714, $595, $476, and $357, respectively. Additional prizes were distributed across various age groups, ranging from 35–39 up to 85 and above.
Overall, organizers distributed around $226,000 in prize money across all categories.