Nizar Nayani leads Pakistani runners at the Chicago Marathon

US-based Nizar Nayani was the fastest Pakistani runner at the 2026 Chicago Marathon, finishing the 42.195-kilometre race in three hours and 45 seconds, just 46 seconds short of the sub-three-hour mark.

Runners from Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora took part in one of the world’s most prestigious marathons on Sunday, Geo News reported.

How Nayani ran

Nayani, who lives in Tomball, Texas, set a fast early pace:

• 5km: 20:16
• 10km: 40:22
• Halfway: 1:25:41, on course for well under three hours
• 30km: 2:03:49
• 40km: 2:50:24
• Finish: 3:00:45

“Chicago Marathon is always very close to my heart, no matter the results, no matter the conditions. I will keep coming back as long as Allah allows me to, and if I’m in shape,” he said. “Today was not ideal conditions, but this is what 26.2 miles does to you. It brings every single grit out of you.”

He said he was proud to be part of the Pakistani team and of his fellow runners.

The leading Pakistanis

• Mustafa, from Karachi: 3:29:18
• Basherri Anjum, from Brooklyn, the fastest Pakistani woman: 3:31:01
• Abu-Bakr Mohammad Afzal: 3:32:39
• Babar Ghias: 3:42:44
• Ibrahim Abdul Khaliq, from Riyadh: 3:44:01
• Hamid Butt, from Lahore, a six-star finisher racing in the 65 to 69 age group: 3:49:48

Anjum covered the first 10km in 47:35 and reached halfway in 1:41:34 before slowing in the later stages, passing 30km in 2:26:35 and 40km in 3:19:43. Her time put her ahead of the other Pakistani women whose results were available, including Sara Rathore (4:22:06), Zara Ordonez and British-Pakistani Wardah Mir.

Many others completed the course, including Taimoor Malik (4:05:34), British-Pakistani Hassan Ali (4:14:55), Austin-based Basil Khan (4:16:56), Amaad Shaikh, Ghassan Tayyab, Hasan Saleem, Danyal Ameer Lakdawala, Anis Kasmani, Hamad Ali, Ahmad Zubair and Karachi’s Aisha Intesar.

Running for TCF

Former British diplomat to Pakistan Mike Nithavrianakis also ran, finishing in 3:18:04. He raced to raise money for The Citizens Foundation, which supports education for underprivileged children in Pakistan.

A record-setting race at the front

• Men: Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won in 2:01:09, a personal best that made him joint fifth on the all-time list, ahead of Ethiopia’s Tadese Bikila (2:02:56) and Milkesa Mengesha (2:03:46)
• Women: Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa defended her title in 2:13:33, ahead of Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi (2:14:07) and former world record-holder Brigid Kosgei (2:14:55). It was the first marathon in history in which three women finished under 2:15

The race, one of the eight Abbott World Marathon Majors, drew more than 55,000 runners on a flat, fast course through 29 Chicago neighbourhoods, starting and finishing in Grant Park. The route has produced several world records and is popular with runners chasing personal bests.

Why it matters

Pakistani runners at home and abroad were well represented in one of the sport’s biggest races, from sub-3:30 finishes to a veteran in his late sixties completing the course, and one runner raising money for children’s education in Pakistan. Read our report on Pakistan’s T20I series win over Sri Lanka.

This article draws on reporting by Geo News.