Qasim wins the 10th SOP Unified Half Marathon

The Army athlete completed the distance in 1 hour and 12 minutes

Pakistan Army's Qasim Bajwa won the 10th Lakson Investments SOP Unified Marathon 21.5 km half marathon, organized by Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP) with the support of Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori.

The event witnessed an impressive gathering and showcased solidarity with athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities. Held on Sunday morning, the marathon began at Governor House Karachi, passed through designated routes including Aiwan-e-Sadr Road, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, I.I. Chundrigar Road, and Merewether Tower, before concluding back at Governor House.

The marathon featured multiple categories, including a 21.5 km half marathon, 10 km race, 5 km race, 1 km unified walk, and a wheelchair event. Participants from all walks of life, including dignitaries, students, men, women, and children, joined the event.

In the 21.5 km half marathon, Pakistan Army's Qasim Bajwa clinched the top position, completing the distance in 1 hour and 12 minutes, followed by WAPDA's Faizan Zulfiqar in second place and Muhammad Sajjad in third. In the women's half marathon, Natasha Hassan secured first place, while Sehrish Khan and Kaukab Sarwar finished second and third, respectively.

The 10 km race was won by Shakir Usman in the men's category and Mahnoor Fatima in the women's category. The 5 km race saw victories from Qandeel Sultan from Gilgit and Muhammad Ziaullah in the men's division.

The event also included a 1 KM unified walk, joined by notable figures such as Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori, Chairman of Lakson Investment , Faysal Bank President Yousuf Hussain, Olympians Arshad Nadeem and Haider Ali, diplomats from Qatar, Turkey, Malaysia, Oman, and Iran, and SOP Chairperson Ronak Lakhani. Renowned personalities from various sectors, including Alyy Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Ramiz Sattar Tehmina Asif and Faisal Shafi also participated.

Speaking at the prize distribution ceremony held at Governor House, Governor Kamran Tessori emphasized Pakistan's image as a peace-loving and sports-friendly nation, highlighting that the doors of the Governor House are always open for sports activities. He appreciated SOP Chairperson Ronak Lakhani, board members and the her team for their relentless efforts toward the welfare of special children and praised the continuity of the marathon.

Olympian Arshad Nadeem commended the special athletes, calling them role models, while Ronak Lakhani expressed gratitude and reaffirmed her commitment to supporting special children. The awards ceremony saw the distribution of prizes to the victorious athletes by Governor Kamran Tessori, Iqbal Lakhani, Yousuf Hussain, Arshad Nadeem, and Ronak Lakhani.