Saqib Khan Leads Pakistanis at Istanbul Marathon
Eighteen Pakistani runners completed the Istanbul Marathon on Sunday, with Saqib Khan emerging as the leading Pakistani finisher at the 48th edition of the race. Saqib clocked 2 hours, 49 minutes and 33 seconds, the only Pakistani finisher under three hours.
Muhammad Sajjad finished second among the Pakistanis in 3:17:29, while Iqbal Ali Khan finished third in 3:23:58. Saqib finished 27 minutes and 56 seconds ahead of Sajjad, while Iqbal Ali Khan crossed the finish line 34 minutes and 25 seconds after the leading Pakistani runner.
The result is a strong showing for a small contingent. Eighteen finishers from one country, across a wide range of times, shows a running community that is growing beyond a handful of elite names, even if the gap between the leader and the rest remains large.
Istanbul Marathon: how Saqib Khan won the Pakistani race
The split timings show that the contest between Saqib and Sajjad changed significantly during the latter stages of the race. After adjusting for their respective start times, Sajjad held an advantage over Saqib from the 15-kilometre checkpoint through to the 30-kilometre mark.
Sajjad’s lead stood at one minute and 51 seconds at the halfway point. It increased to two minutes and four seconds at 25 kilometres, before reaching six minutes and 17 seconds at 30 kilometres. At that stage, the Pakistani race looked settled in Sajjad’s favour.
Saqib then mounted a strong comeback over the closing stages. Sajjad’s lead had narrowed to just 36 seconds at the 35-kilometre checkpoint, before Saqib moved decisively ahead by the 40-kilometre mark. The adjusted checkpoint timings put Saqib 17 minutes and 43 seconds ahead at 40 kilometres, after Sajjad recorded a split of 38:29 between 35 and 40 kilometres, compared with Saqib’s 20:10.
That swing, of more than 18 minutes across five kilometres, suggests Sajjad hit severe difficulty late in the race, while Saqib held his pace. Marathon running often turns on that final stretch, and this race turned sharply there. Saqib eventually finished in 2:49:33, while Sajjad clocked 3:17:29.
The full Pakistani field in Istanbul
Irfan Ali was the fourth Pakistani finisher in 3:52:47, while Kamran Yousaf secured fifth place among the Pakistani contingent in 4:02:19. Muhammad Asad Siddiqi clocked 4:21:02, followed by Muhammad Zeeshan Ali in 4:28:40, and Adeel Mansoor Khan completed the race in 4:39:02.
In the women’s category, Mehnaz Naveed was the leading Pakistani finisher, completing the marathon in 4:52:06. Sunaina was the other Pakistani woman to finish the race, clocking 5:59:40. Their presence matters, because women’s distance running in Pakistan still faces far fewer opportunities and far less support than the men’s side, and every finisher at a major marathon helps widen the path.
Muhammad Gulraiz Khan finished in 5:02:43, while Muhammad Asad Khan recorded a time of 5:21:36. Nofel Elahi completed the course in 5:35:11, followed by Qaseem Saeed in 5:42:13 and Muhammad Asher Siddiqi in 5:46:22. Muhammad Jahanzaib Khan finished in 6:12:01, while Fahad Mansoori and Mohammad Arsal Ayub completed the marathon in 6:14:12 and 6:14:57, respectively.
A race across two continents
The Istanbul Marathon is recognised as the world’s only intercontinental marathon. Runners cross the Bosphorus from Asia to Europe before finishing at Sultanahmet Square, which gives the race a character no other major marathon can match.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the fastest Pakistani at the Istanbul Marathon?
Saqib Khan, who finished in 2 hours, 49 minutes and 33 seconds, the only Pakistani finisher under three hours.
How many Pakistanis finished the Istanbul Marathon?
Eighteen Pakistani runners completed the race at its 48th edition on Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Who were the other leading Pakistani men?
Muhammad Sajjad finished second among the Pakistanis in 3:17:29, Iqbal Ali Khan third in 3:23:58, Irfan Ali fourth in 3:52:47, and Kamran Yousaf fifth in 4:02:19.
Who was the fastest Pakistani woman?
Mehnaz Naveed, who completed the marathon in 4:52:06, while Sunaina was the other Pakistani woman to finish, in 5:59:40.
Who won the elite races in Istanbul?
Kenya’s Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba won the men’s elite race in a course-record 2:08:44, and Ethiopia’s Kasanesh Ayenew Baze won the women’s title in 2:24:40.
