A record number of Pakistanis, including those belonging to the Pakistani diaspora abroad, will feature in the 2024 London Marathon set to take place in the British capital on Sunday (tomorrow).
As many as 27 Pakistani runners, the largest number to date, will take part in the marathon which is considered one of the most popular running events whose route features various iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Tower of London and the Canary Wharf and others.
Pakistani runners hailing from Karachi, Islamabad, Dubai, the United States, the United Kingdom and Norway will participate in the famed marathon which was first held in 1981.
Journalist Rehman Azhar will be running his third World major in London, followed by Berlin and Chicago in 2023.
Babar Ghias and Jamal Khan, the Pakistani expats from Chicago and New York, are also on the track to complete their Six Star journey and the London Marathon will bring them one step closer to their objective.
Co-founder of Islamabad Running Club, Bilal Ehsan, will also be running the London Marathon with the event being his third world major after New York and Berlin.
Several Pakistani women marathon runners will be part of the London Marathon in 2024. Many of the participants were part of Pakistan’s largest contingent in the Berlin marathon of 2023.
Semeena Khan, a British Pakistani marathon runner and coach based in England, is returning to the London Marathon representing “Muslim Runners” — an award-winning running community of the UK.
Two couples, Uzma Abid and Abdul Samee and Zain Anwar and Nada Anwar, who finished the Berlin Marathon, are also set to join the London Marathon together.
First marathon since Kiptum’s demise
The 2024 London Marathon will be the first one since the death of Kelvin Kiptum, the winner of last year’s event, who passed away in a car accident in Kenya in February.
A tribute will also be paid to Kelvin Kiptum, who set the course record with a time of 2hr 1min 25sec last year, on Sunday.
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan and actor Phil Dunster will be among the celebrities who will take part in the marathon while also making their London debut.
Name Nationality
Bilal Ehsan Pakistan
Rehman Azhar Pakistan
Yawar Siddiqui
Pakistan
Nida Yawar
Pakistan
Muhammad Babar
Pakistan
Dr Ahmad Zubair
United Kingdom
Uzma Abid
Pakistan
Abdul Samee
Pakistan
Imran Khan Niazi
Pakistan
Hira Diwan
United Kingdom
Jamal Khan
United States
Babar Ghias
United States
Shah Faisal Khan
Pakistan
Sarah Lodhi
Pakistan
Semeena Khan
United Kingdom
Zain Anwar
Pakistan
Nada Anwar
Pakistan
Zohaib Moin
Pakistan
Raees Ebrahim
United States
Murtaza Zaidi
Pakistan
Shariq Samad
United States
Fawad Karim
United Kingdom
Nazakat Ali
United Kingdom
Jevi Majid
Pakistan
Faisal Sahfi (Senior)
Pakistan
Miqdad Mohammed
Canada
Mohammad Malkera
United Kingdom
How to watch, track runners
Those who wish to watch the event can download the London Marathon application which even allows users to search for a runner using either their name or bib number.
Furthermore, users can also create a tracking list to follow multiple runners.
The London Marathon will be broadcast live on BBC as well as BBC iPlayer and the Red Button.
Leading entries
Women
Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04
Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:14:18
Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:16:07
Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:17:09
Men
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:03:11
Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39
Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51
