Commissioner Karachi Marathon likely to feature 10,000 participants

As many as 10,000 people can run in the third edition of the Commissioner Karachi Marathon which is set to take place on February 13.

The registration for the marathons was opened on Monday and Karachi Commissioner Mohammad Iqbal Memon is anticipating an overwhelming response from the people.

“This sporting event is growing with every edition. In the first instalment, around 3,000 participants competed in the race. In the second edition, the participation almost doubled as 6,000 people participated,” he said while talking to Bol News.

This year, Memon is optimistic about the response to the event and expects more than 10,000 individuals to take part in the healthy activity in the metropolitan city.

“We are expecting more than 10,000 to 15,000 people to take part from all over the city,” he said, adding that they making arrangements accordingly.

According to the Karachi commissioner, activities like these are necessary to keep the youth energised.

“The marathon is meant to bring the citizens of Karachi together,” he said. “Athletic activities such as these energise the youth and give them a sense of ownership towards the city.”

The race will begin from Moin Khan Academy and the track will pass through Khayaban-e-Tipu after which the participants will cross Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue to Captain Farhan Shaheed Park and then the track would stretch to Khayaban-e-Ittehad and lead back to the academy.

The male participants will be required to cover a total of 10 kilometres while female participants will run six kilometres.

The participants will be divided into three categories, under 19, under 29, and over 29. However, the veteran runners will participate under a special category.

Moreover, there is a special category for differently-abled people and for children above 12 to run the race with their families.

Karachi commissioner further maintained that this marathon is a key event to portray a positive image of the city and position it as the city of peace.

“This event will help create a soft image of the city all around the globe as Karachi is frequently hosting numerous national and international events,” he stated.

He also revealed that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Minister Murad Ali Shah will participate in the event and Karachi administration has sent the invitation to consulate generals and ambassadors of other countries to witness the marathon.

The commissioner further told that in order to facilitate the participants, camps will be set up at different points on the route of the race where water, washroom facilities, first aid, food stalls, and shuttle services will be available.

Due to the coronavirus situation in the city, the event is being organised after a gap of one year.

The previous edition of the race had taken place on January 12, 2020.