Athletics in Pakistan | |
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Governing body | Athletics Federation of Pakistan |
International competitions | |
Olympic Games ![]() Paralympic Games ![]() ![]() ![]() World Championships ![]() Asian Championships ![]() ![]() ![]() Asian Games ![]() ![]() ![]() Commonwealth Games ![]() ![]() ![]() Islamic Solidarity Games ![]() ![]() ![]() Asian Indoor Championships ![]() ![]() Asian Cross Country Championships ![]() ![]() |
Athletics in Pakistan is overseen by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) which organizes athletic tournaments in Pakistan. Athletics in Pakistan encompasses a diverse range of competitive sporting events, including running, jumping, throwing, and walking disciplines. The country's athletics landscape is dominated by four primary categories: track and field, road running, cross country running, and racewalking.
Many Pakistani athletes have excelled in various global events including the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Athletics Championships. [1]
The 1950s and 1960s are often regarded as the Golden Age of Pakistani athletics, with Abdul Khaliq, Ghulam Raziq, Mubarak Shah, Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Nawaz, Jalal Khan, Allah Ditta and Muhammad Ramzan Ali achieving various milestones. [1] In the early decades, Pakistanis held many Asian records including the Asian 100 m and 200 m record held by Abdul Khaliq. [1]
Other notable athletes include Muhammad Younis, Muhammad Siddique, Mirza Khan, Ghulam Abbas, Nadir Khan, Aqarab Abbas, Muhammad Sharif Butt, Khwaja Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Sadaqat, Muhammad Fayyaz, Abdul Aziz, Abdul Malik, Mohsin Ali, Mehboob Ali, Banarus Muhammad Khan, Rashid Khan, Abdul Rashid, Zafar Iqbal, Nusrat Iqbal Sahi, Norman Brinkworth, Muhammad Youssef, Allah Ditta, Muhammad Ayub, Muhammad Yasir and Liaquat Ali who got prominence at either Asian or International levels, winning gold medals for Pakistan. [2] Haider Ali is Pakistan's most successful para-athlete, holding the distinction of winning the country's first ever Paralympic gold, silver, and bronze medals. He won a silver medal in the long jump in 2008 and a bronze in 2016. He switched to discus throw, an event in which he won a gold medal in 2020 and a bronze medal in 2024. His achievements have made him an icon in Pakistani sports and a source of inspiration for many. He is the first and only Pakistani to have won four medals at the Paralympic Games. [3] [4] Female athletes have also represented Pakistan at the international level, including Shabana Akhtar, who was the first Pakistani female athlete to participate at the Olympics. Among Pakistan's notable women athletes are Naseem Hameed, Najma Parveen, Sadaf Siddiqui, Rabia Ashiq, Shazia Hidayat, Faiqa Riaz and Sumaira Zahoor.
Pakistan has hosted several major international athletics events including the 1989, 2004 South Asian Games and is scheduled to host the 2026 South Asian Games. International events such as the Lahore Marathon also take place in the country. Pakistan also hosted the 2025 SAAF Cross Country Championships on 23rd February 2025 at Fatima Jinnah Park, Islamabad. [5] [6] [7]
In recent times, Arshad Nadeem is the reigning Olympic champion in Men's javelin throw with an Asian and Olympic record throw of 92.97 metres (305.0 ft) at the 2024 Summer Olympics. [8] He became the first Pakistani to qualify for the finals of any track and field event at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships.
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. [9]
National Athletics Championships is held annually by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan. [10]
Competition | Athlete | Medal | Event | Year |
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Olympic Games | Arshad Nadeem | ![]() | Javelin throw | 2024 |
Paralympic Games | Haider Ali | ![]() | Discus Throw - F37 | 2024 |
![]() | Discus Throw - F37 | 2020 | ||
![]() | Long Jump - T37 | 2016 | ||
![]() | Long Jump - F37/38 | 2008 | ||
World Championships | Arshad Nadeem | ![]() | Javelin throw | 2023 |
Commonwealth Games | ||||
Arshad Nadeem | ![]() | Javelin throw | 2022 | |
Muhammad Nawaz | ![]() | Javelin throw | 1966 | |
Muhammad Iqbal | ![]() | Hammer throw | 1966 | |
Ghulam Raziq | ![]() | 120 yards hurdles | 1966 | |
Ghulam Raziq | ![]() | 120 yards hurdles | 1962 | |
Jalal Khan | ![]() | Javelin throw | 1958 | |
Muhammad Iqbal | ![]() | Hammer throw | 1958 | |
Muhammad Ramzan Ali | ![]() | Long jump | 1958 | |
Ghulam Raziq | ![]() | 120 yards hurdles | 1958 | |
Muhammad Iqbal | ![]() | Hammer throw | 1954 | |
Muhammad Nawaz | ![]() | Javelin throw | 1954 | |
Jalal Khan | ![]() | Javelin throw | 1954 |
Competition | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Olympics | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Paralympics | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
World Championships | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Commonwealth Games | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
Asian Games | 14 | 13 | 13 | 40 |
Islamic Solidarity Games | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Asian Championships | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Asian Indoor Championships | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Asian Cross Country Championships | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Total | 23 | 24 | 27 | 75 |
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