BERLIN, Germany: At least 27 Pakistani and Pakistani-origin runners will represent Pakistan at the 2026 Berlin Marathon on Sunday, joining more than 56,000 participants from 162 countries in one of the world’s most prestigious road races.
All eyes on Berlin 👀
Tigst Assefa is ready to challenge the world record at the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sunday, where Geay, Adola, Kitata and Molla are among favourites for the men’s race.
Full preview 🔗 https://t.co/uizQjEMCkD pic.twitter.com/uKVsmVo9Uf
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) September 25, 2026
The 42.195-kilometre event will take place on September 27, while the wider marathon weekend is expected to attract over 84,000 participants across various races. Pakistan’s contingent includes runners from Karachi as well as the Pakistani diaspora living in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Norway.
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Pakistan’s global presence on the start line
The Karachi-based runners include Munir Imran, Mehwish Hanif, Zubair Umar, Khalid Sheikh, Bilal Umar and Aamir Bhagat. The United States will be represented by Ayesha Akhtar, Muhammad Uzair Butt, Farhad Nasar Chaudhary, Rahat Gillani and Junaid Memon, while Hamad Ali and Muhammad Tariq will compete from the United Kingdom.
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Other Pakistani participants include Saifullah (Canada), Imran Ghayur Ahmed (Norway), Salima Ali, Syed Zeeshan Ali, Omar Ansari, Fatima Chaudhry, Hamza Farooq, Nadia Kamani, Muhammad Anas Khalid Khan, Taimur Khan, Fahad Nadeem, Muhammad Rehan Rafi, Maheen Sheikh and Muhammad Zuberi.
After losing both world records over the last 3 years, the Berlin Marathon is hoping to get one back on Sunday.
They’re hyping Tigst Assefa’s run as an attempt on Ruth Chepngetich’s dubious 2:09:56 WR. Assefa just says she wants to PR (2:11:53).https://t.co/nRBxGn2bzh
— Jonathan Gault (@jgault13) September 25, 2026
Karachi training, Berlin dreams
Karachi’s Bilal Umar will contest his fourth World Marathon Major in 12 months after completing a structured 12-week training programme. Instead of chasing his Tokyo personal best, Bilal said his goal is to enjoy the race, maintain a consistent pace and finish while carrying Pakistan’s flag.
How to Run the Berlin Marathon, According to Olympians and Champions Who Know It Best https://t.co/fUANvfdcub pic.twitter.com/YgkJgFw57p
— RUN (@Outside_Run) September 26, 2026
For Muhammad Tariq, the Berlin Marathon marks his first World Marathon Major. The UK-based runner said he overcame a challenging training period while supporting his ailing father and hopes to complete the race with gratitude for his family’s encouragement.
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The marathon starts from Straße des 17. Juni near the Brandenburg Gate at 8:45am local time, with runners passing iconic landmarks including the Victory Column, Alexanderplatz, Berlin Cathedral, Potsdamer Platz and Kurfürstendamm before finishing beneath the Brandenburg Gate.
