Pakistani runners from around the globe delivered strong performances at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, one of the seven World Marathon Majors, which saw participation from over 53,000 athletes this year. The marathon featured a diverse group of Pakistani participants from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to dual nationals and expatriates from the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, and the Gulf proudly representing Pakistan across the 42.195-kilometre course through Chicago’s streets. Leading the contingent was Syed Ali Hamza, a Pakistani-American from Villanova, Pennsylvania, who finished in 2 hours, 55 minutes, and 14 seconds, making him the fastest Pakistani finisher. He was followed closely by fellow USA-based Pakistani runners Salman Ilyas (2:56:39) and Nizar Nayani (2:57:43). “Running a marathon is a personal challenge, and crossing the finish line while representing Pakistan made it all the more meaningful,” Nayani said. Among Pakistan-based runners, Faisal Shafi from Karachi emerged as the fastest with a time of 3:18:52. The experienced seven-star finisher shared that his pacing strategy, holding steady for the first 20–25 kilometres before pushing harder in the latter half, made this race his most memorable. Dania Ali, also from Karachi, made her World Marathon Major debut, achieving a personal best of 4:45:07. Her accomplishment was widely praised by the local running community. In the women’s category, U.S.-based Aisha Qamar from Brooklyn was the fastest female Pakistani runner with a time of 3:00:51, followed by London-based Maheen Suleman Sheikh at 3:55:29. Karachi’s Sana Malik completed the marathon in 4:26:27, calling the atmosphere in Chicago “unforgettable.” “I’ve never experienced a crowd like Chicago’s,” Sana said. “This was an experience I’ll remember for decades, and I’m motivated to come back even stronger.” Several other Pakistan-based runners also delivered commendable performances, including Bilal Umar (3:39:29), Shah Faisal Khan (3:57:36), Safdar Ali (4:06:45), Yasir Suleman Memon (4:18:40), and Muhammad Tajdar Iqbal (4:21:08) from Karachi, along with Muhammad Yawar Siddiqui (3:45:26) from Islamabad and Saood Hamid (5:20:05) from Lahore. Pakistani runners from abroad also made their presence felt. Notable finishers included Osman Sarood (Pakistani-American, San Jose) in 3:44:59, Atiq Ul Hassan (Franklin) in 3:47:43, Abbas Naqvi (US-based) in 4:12:34, and Imran Zaffar (British-Pakistani) in 4:37:31. A special moment came when Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, completed the marathon on his 54th birthday in 4:59:25. He was greeted by followers along the route with chants of “Happy Birthday!”. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo won the men’s elite title in 2:02:23, followed by Kenya’s Amos Kipruto (2:03:54) and Alex Masai (2:04:37). In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa Gejia claimed victory in 2:14:56, ahead of Megertu Alemu (2:17:18) and Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri (2:18:03). From Villanova to Karachi and London to Riyadh, this year’s Chicago Marathon showcased the strength, unity, and spirit of Pakistani runners around the world. Their performances not only reflected individual excellence but also highlighted Pakistan’s growing footprint in the global marathon scene. Chicago Marathon 2025: Pakistani Finishers Under 6 Hours Syed Ali Hamza PAK (USA) Villanova 2:55:14Salman Ilyas USA Sammamish 2:56:39Nizar Nayani USA Tomball 2:57:43Irtaza Haider PAK Evanston 3:00:50Aisha Qamar USA Brooklyn 3:00:51Faisal Shafi PAK Karachi 3:18:52Muhammad Shah PAK Cincinnati 3:23:12Bilal Umar PAK Karachi 3:39:29Khoula Ahmed NOR — 3:40:21Osman Sarood PAK (USA) San Jose 3:44:59Muhammad Yawar Siddiqui PAK Islamabad 3:45:26Atiq Ul Hassan PAK (USA) Franklin 3:47:43Maheen Suleman Sheikh PAK (GBR) London 3:55:29Shah Faisal Khan PAK Karachi 3:57:36Basil Khan PAK Chicago 4:02:17Safdar Ali PAK Karachi 4:06:45Babar Ghias USA Chicago 4:11:41Abbas Naqvi PAK (USA) Islamabad 4:12:34Adnan Afzal USA Spring 4:14:42Saba Lodhi PAK Wenatchee 4:17:00Yasir Suleman Memon PAK Karachi 4:18:40Muhammad Umer Shafiq PAK (USA) Islamabad 4:20:24Muhammad Tajdar Iqbal PAK Karachi 4:21:08Sana Malik PAK Karachi 4:26:27Khalid Sarfaraz PAK Abu Dhabi 4:36:46Imran Zaffar GBR Harrow 4:37:31Ghassan Tayyab PAK Naperville 4:42:45Dania Ali PAK Karachi 4:45:07Syed Ahsan Ejaz PAK Karachi 4:45:50Raja Arif Ullah Khan PAK Riyadh 4:49:56Muhammad Rizwan Khawaja USA Scottsdale 5:12:19Faraz Siddiqui PAK Weehawken 5:19:56Shazia Nawaz PAK (UAE) Lahore 5:20:05Saood Hamid PAK Lahore 5:20:05Usman Rao PAK (USA) Karachi 5:16:16Fawaz Qamar PAK Gujranwala 5:31:48Ahmed Khan PAK Bristol 5:47:47Muhammad Yousuf PAK Karachi 5:58:19Syeda Maimoona Hamdani PAK Karachi 5:58:31
Pakistani athletes shine at 2025 Chicago Marathon
