Hundreds run to support special athletes

Special Olympics Pakistan announces marathon in Lahore too

KARACHI:

Hundreds of people including athletes, diplomats, senior officials, and artists joined a 21-kilometre marathon to show solidarity with persons with disabilities at the Seaview beachfront on Sunday morning.

Aiming to promote inclusion, community participation and the development of special athletes, the 11th Lackson Investment SOP Unified Marathon 2025 was organised by Special Olympics Pakistan with the support of Faisal Bank.

The event featured a range of competitions, including a 21-kilometre half marathon, 10km and 5km races, a one-kilometre unified walk and a wheelchair walk.

In the men's 21km half marathon, Muhammad Akhtar clinched the gold medal, followed by Amin Mokate (silver) and Sadiq Shah (bronze). The women's half marathon title was won by Suha Punawala, while Sehar Ali secured silver and Khadija bronze.

Shakir Usman won the men's 10km race, with Raza finishing second and Zeeshan third. In the women's 10km event, nine-year-old Kainat Ibrahim, a bronze medallist at the 35th National Games, claimed gold, followed by Manahil Shah and Ayesha.

Ali Hassan won the men's 5km race, ahead of Muhammad Akram and Zulfiqar Ali, while National Games gold medallist Mahnoor Fatima topped the women's 5km category, with Alina Khan second and Mehak Hanif third.

At the prize distribution ceremony, SOP Chairperson Ronak Lakhani, Iqbal Lakhani, Lackson Investment's Babar Lakhani, Faisal Bank President Yusuf Hussain and others presented medals to the winners.

Ronak Lakhani announced that the unified marathon would be expanded further, with the next edition planned in Lahore.

After winning the marathon, 9-year-old Kainat Ibrahim told the media, "After winning the bronze medal at the National Games, I was confident that I would win a gold medal, but I was barred from participating in the 10,000-meter race, calling me a child. I thank Allah that today, the same child has won a gold medal in the marathon held under Pakistan Special Olympics. I will try to win medals in future competitions as well as other events."