LAHORE: Thousands of enthusiastic athletes, belonging to all gender and age groups, participated in two separate 3.2kms and 2kms mini marathons that were the last events of the First International PACES Championships that concluded here on Sunday. The athletes of fourteen foreign army teams also participated in the marathons.
Over three thousands ran for the 3.2kilometers category race which started from the Askari-10 and ended at the Ayub Stadium Cantt. Most of the participants were youngsters and middle-aged men. Some old but fervent athletes also participated in the race which amused the foreign athletes. One of the participants bought a Nike shirt and trousers for the race on Saturday night. “Marathon is always a fun race and I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest,” he said. One athlete ran barefooted. “I feel easy that way,” he asserted. Professor Mohammed Rafiq was the oldest runner in that category.
Participation of over twelve hundred women and children added glamour to the race. They ran for the 2kilometers race that started from the Lahore Garrison Golf & Country Club to end at the Ayub Stadium. Eight years old kid Toheed was the youngest runner of the Race who said: “I am a tortoise running amongst the hares. Slow and steady wins the Race.” The presence of a large number of zealous Lahorites who turned in thousands to show their solidarity with the Pakistan Army and to pay homage to the visitors who passionately participated in the six-day competition and the mini marathons, rejecting false claims that Pakistan was unsafe for international sports. They lined up along the 3.2kilometers race route to cheer and encourage the runners waving flags and raising slogans. The organisers of the race had set up few stalls where mineral water bottles were available for the runners. Several people offered water bottles to the runners. Inspector General Training & Evaluation Lt-General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the Chief Guest who distributed prizes among the winners.
Results:
Children aged 9 to 12: Wahid Ali (Ist), Shoaib Ali (2nd), Saif Ali (3rd)
Boys 12-18: Maroof Younis (Ist), Farrukh Bashir (2nd), Nadeem Abbas (3rd)
Gents 18+: Sohail Ahmed (Ist), Tariq Mehmood (2nd), Hari Kymar Rinal (3rd)
Girls 12-18: Tehreem Alam (Ist), Javaria (2nd), Turab Zahra (3rd)
Ladies 18-35: Farhat Bano (Ist), Rabia Ashiq (2nd), Samabia Noureen (3rd)
Ladies over 35: Mrs Maqbool (Ist), Dr Fatima (2nd), Tahira Yasmeen (3rd)