In 2023, he became the first Pakistani athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships, a silver. In 2022, he also created a Commonwealth Games record with a throw of 90.18 m and became the first ever athlete from South Asia to breach the 90m mark.[6]
Hosting rights
Multi-Sport Events
Pakistan has hosted several major international athletics events including the athletics competitions at the 1989, 2004 South Asian Games and is scheduled to host the 2026 edition. In 1989, Pakistan’s Ghulam Abbas set a games record in the 110 m hurdles, while Abdul Razzaq set one in the 3000 m steeplechase. At the 2004 Games, six games records were set, including Rohan Pradeep Kumara of Sri Lanka in the 200 m, and standout performances by Sangeetha Mohan in high jump and Seema Punia in discus throw. Remarkably, these records remained unbroken even after the 2019 edition, underscoring the lasting impact of these competitions on South Asian athletics.
Cross-Country Championships
Pakistan hosted the 2025 SAAF Cross Country Championships on 23rd February 2025 at Fatima Jinnah Park, Islamabad. The event featured a senior men’s 10 km and junior (U‑20) 8 km race with athletes from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Pakistan won gold in both categories, followed by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the senior race, and Sri Lanka and Nepal in the junior race.[7][8][9]
Marathons and Road Races
Lahore Marathon
International events such as the Lahore Marathon also take place in the country. It was Pakistan’s first international marathon, held on January 30, 2005. It featured approximately 60 elite international athletes from 20 different countries and more than 17,000 total participants.[10]
Karachi Marathon
The Karachi Marathon, Pakistan’s largest international road race, unites local and global runners as part of the Vision 2032 initiative to help Pakistani athletes qualify for major world marathons and the Olympics. The event marks a strategic collaboration to support Pakistan’s first World Athletics certified marathon, strengthening the country’s presence in global distance running.[11][12]
Lok Sahaita Marathon
The Lok Sahaita Marathon is Pakistan’s second World Athletics recognized marathon, setting a strong international standard for professional road racing in the country. The event attracts elite athletes from Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya, Canada, Britain, Italy, Japan, and other nations, with participation from over 10 countries. Alongside international runners, thousands of local athletes take part, making it one of Pakistan’s largest competitive marathons. In the 2025 edition, organisers reported 28 international athletes and nearly 3,000 Pakistani runners, with Morocco’s Alyoussouf Abdelmajid claiming the marathon title, while Kenya’s Munyoni Mutoko topped the women’s 10K race.[13]
1960 International Lahore Meet
The 1960 Triangular Athletics Meet in Lahore was a major international invitational event featuring teams from Pakistan, India, and Iran. Pakistan won the overall competition, securing 10 out of 20 gold medals. A notable moment occurred when India's Milkha Singh defeated Pakistan's Abdul Khaliq in the 200m dash, leading to Singh being nicknamed the "Flying Sikh".[14] In this meet, Khaliq won a gold medal in the 100-meter race with a time of 10.4 seconds, a bronze medal in the 200-meter race, and another gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter relay race, clocking 41.5 seconds. This event was depicted in the Indian movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.[15]
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