Category: Other Sports

KARACHI: Karachi is set to host the ‘One Run International Half-Marathon’ on May 23, 2026, with more than 1,500 participants expected to take part in the city’s largest running event of the year.

According to the details, runners of all ages and abilities can choose from four distances – 1 km, 5 km, 10 km, and the full 21.1 km half-marathon – along the Abdul Sattar Edhi Road (Seaview), starting and finishing at Emaar Ocean Front.

The One Run offers a unique opportunity for families, friends, and fitness enthusiasts to embrace an active lifestyle and set personal milestones within a global community.

On the same day, over 245,000 runners worldwide from countries including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, India, UAE, Qatar, Venezuela, Serbia, Tanzania, Malaysia, Thailand, and more will take part, making it a truly global celebration of running.

 

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Shoaib Nizami, the event organizer, highlighted the importance of marathons, saying that Karachi’s running culture was growing rapidly, with an increasing number of people from all walks of life participating every year.

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He added that while the city was widely known for its food, Karachiites should also take pride in their active lifestyle and involvement in international events.

“Karachi’s running culture is growing rapidly, with more people from all walks of life taking part every year. While the city is famous for its food, Karachiites should also take pride in their active lifestyle and participation in international events. This is another opportunity to showcase the healthy, dynamic side of our city to the world,” he said.

It’s worth noting that the One Run concept was first introduced in 2017 in Russia, with simultaneous events held in 10 cities.

The event rapidly expanded and, by 2020, made history with a synchronized start across all Russian regions, setting two Guinness World Records for uniting the most cities in a half-marathon.

By 2023, One Run had gone global, with five countries — including China, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Belarus — joining the movement.

Now, in 2026, with Karachi once again on the map, Pakistan continues to stride forward on the global fitness calendar.

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Sabastian Sawe, who became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, will compete at the Berlin Marathon in September, race organizers announced Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Kenyan smashed the previous world record when he ran the London Marathon in 1hr 59min 30sec in April wearing a new model of super shoes.

Now he will doubtless set his eyes on further lowering his historic time on September 27 at the Berlin Marathon, which is known for producing world records due to its flat course with relatively few corners.

Sawe won the last edition of the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:02:16 despite heat and humidity in the German capital.

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“I am very happy to return to (the Berlin Marathon) this year and to defend my title,” Sawe, who won the race last year, said in a statement released by organisers.

“Many people may be wondering what my goals are this time round.

“After coming off my win in London and sub-2 performance, I can only say that, like always, I plan to prepare myself to the best of my ability and to come to Berlin to honor this great event and organization which have invited me, and to run as well and fast as possible. Then on the day we will see what will happen.”

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Mal Anderson, the first unseeded player to win the US Open men’s singles title, has died aged 91, Tennis Australia said on Monday.

Anderson’s career started on a dirt court on a farm, and he went on to become an Australian tennis great, winning the US crown in 1957 and three major doubles titles.

Although unseeded at what was then the United States Championships, Anderson beat three seeds and dropped only two sets on his way to the title.

He also won the Davis Cup twice.

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After retirement, Anderson mentored young Australian players, including Pat Rafter, who went on to become world number one.

“I was really sad to hear of Mal’s passing. He was one of those people who helped shape my tennis from very early on,” said Rafter, who twice won the US Open.

“He was a true legend of the game, but more importantly, he was a terrific bloke, humble, generous with his time and always happy to help younger players along.

“Tennis in Australia has lost one of its greats, and a lot of us have lost a mate and mentor. I feel very lucky to have known him.”

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Formula One bosses have responded to the criticism of this season’s power unit modifications by agreeing to “further evolutionary changes” before a revamp for the 2027 season, the FIA announced on Friday.

Motorsport’s governing body said that an agreement had been reached “in principle” between the 11 team bosses and five power unit manufacturers to restore the primacy of combustion power over electric power as early as 2027.

“The measures agreed in principle today for 2027 would see a nominal increase in internal combustion engine power by 50 kilowatts with a fuel-flow increase and a nominal reduction of the energy recovery system deployment power by 50 kilowatts,” the FIA said in a statement.

This decision, which still has to be discussed in detail, let alone approved, would in effect put an end to the 50/50 parity in hybrid engines, half electric, half combustion, introduced this season by the FIA.

The new regulations have created exciting racing for viewers but have met with a varied reception from the drivers, with four-time champion Max Verstappen describing it as “Formula E on steroids” and hinting he might step away from Formula One if it did not change.

The 50/50 system involves a complex management of the battery during overtakes and then during the necessary recharging of electrical energy when slowing down and braking.

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This has triggered safety concerns, notably when Oliver Bearman had a dramatic crash at the Japan GP as he closed on Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.

The significant difference in speed between the two cars as a result of their contrasting states of energy deployment led to Bearman taking evasive action and hitting the wall.

Last month, the FIA announced a new “adjusted” version of the regulation, which came into play at last weekend’s Miami GP.

Friday’s meeting gave the thumbs up to the modifications, saying they had improved competition and were a “step in the right direction”.

The FIA said they would look at “further adjustments at future events”, possibly as soon as the next grand prix in Canada on May 24.

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Novak Djokovic was eliminated from the Italian Open in the second round on Friday by Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion was making his comeback from a shoulder injury in the last big tournament before the French Open.

Djokovic was playing for the first time since losing in the last 16 at Indian Wells in March, having pulled out of tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid.

The 38-year-old had not been knocked out this early in a tournament since the Madrid Open last year, and looked a long way from the player who has won six Rome titles.

“I don’t think I played so bad, to be honest,” Djokovic told reporters. “It was OK, it was a good battle in the end, but obviously I see what I’m missing. I’m late half a step. I’m not definitely where I want to be for the highest level to compete.”

Novak Djokovic added that he hopes he can be in good condition for Roland Garros, which starts later this month, saying, “let’s see what happens”.

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Playing with a shoulder brace, Djokovic had breezed through the first set, helped by Prizmic’s 13 unforced errors.

But the world number four’s hitting started to look increasingly tentative as Prizmic rattled off four straight games at the start of the second set, with his powerful ground strokes finding their mark.

Prizmic came to the Italian capital with a career-high ranking of 79 after reaching the third round in Madrid — beating world number six Ben Shelton in the process — and had also dispatched Marton Fucsovics to set up his clash with Djokovic.

The 20-year-old reached the third round of a second consecutive Masters 1000 event with the biggest scalp of his career to date.

Djokovic is Prizmic’s idol, and a landmark win gives the young talent a match with either Ugo Humbert or Vit Kopriva and a chance to make the fourth round of a top-tier event on the ATP Tour for the first time.

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Aryna Sabalenka breezed into the third round of the Italian Open on Thursday with a straight-sets win over Barbora Krejcikova, 6-2, 6-3.

World number one and favourite for the women’s title in the Italian capital, Sabalenka took one hour and 25 minutes to see off Czech Krejcikova in the final match of the day on centre court.

Sabalenka has never won the Italian Open. Her run to the final two years ago, when she was lost to Iga Swiatek, was her best result.

But with the French Open around the corner, the Belarusian made no mistake against Krejcikova, a former Wimbledon and French Open champion.

Sabalenka lost the first game on her serve, but from there comfortably dealt with Krejcikova to set up a match with Sorana Cirstea in the next round.

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“I’m super happy to be through. She’s a great player. We had a lot of tough matches in the past,” Sabalenka said on court. “I’m of course happy with the level I played and to get this tough win.”

The top seed is on the same side of the draw as Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in last year’s French Open final and made short work of Tereza Valentova in her opening match of the tournament.

American star Gauff beat Valentova 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 34 minutes in front of a sparsely-populated centre court, and will play Argentine Solana Sierra in the next round.

Earlier, Jasmine Paolini launched her title defence by battling back from a set down to beat France’s Leolia Jeanjean 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-4.

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World number one Jannik Sinner downed Arthur Fils 6-2, 6-4 on Friday to reach the Madrid Open final, where he will face Alexander Zverev.

The second seed dispatched promising Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-2, 7-5 later on.

Sinner won his 22nd straight match to book a place in Sunday’s final, where he will aim to win a record fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title.

With his chief rival Carlos Alcaraz out injured, Sinner is the firm favourite to triumph at the Caja Magica and add to recent titles at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo.

“I played at a very high level, but I focus on always raising my level a little,” Sinner told Movistar. “Especially when the tournament gets serious… You have to raise your level if you want to keep going.”

The Italian admitted he was feeling a little tired after playing so many matches of late.

“Obviously, there’s a bit of fatigue,” said Sinner.

“Mentally, I feel good, but there is some physical tiredness. My body isn’t completely fresh, but that’s normal, and I think it’s a very positive thing for me because it means I’m playing a lot of matches.

“Of course, on Sunday we’ll try to do even better, but whatever happens, I’ve reached another final in a very important tournament.”

Beating Sinner right now seems a near-impossible feat, and the four-time Grand Slam winner started superbly against Barcelona Open winner Fils, who has impressed since returning from injury in February.

The Italian broke in the third game when Fils went long to lead 2-1.

Sinner broke again in the fifth game with Fils, ranked 25th in the world, unable to cope with his sheer power.

The Frenchman has not yet reached a Masters 1000 final, and with Sinner in sumptuous form, it quickly became clear he would have to wait a little longer.

Sinner wrapped up the first set on his serve after Fils found some fighting spirit to prevent a third break.

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The second set was far closer, with Fils rising in confidence and belief.

The 21-year-old saved two break points for a 3-2 lead, and put pressure on Sinner’s next serve, although the Italian produced two aces to hold.

Sinner broke with a down-the-line backhand winner to end an excellent rally for a 5-4 lead and served it out to triumph.

World number three Zverev, in strong form, claimed the first set against Blockx comfortably but struggled to break the Belgian in the second, before eventually finding a way through.

“I’m very happy, of course, to be in a final,” said Zverev, who lifted the trophy in Madrid in 2018 and 2021.

“There were a lot of tough matches, a lot of tough battles… and I’m looking forward to playing Jannik again. Tennis is very, very easy for him right now, the way he is playing. Maybe on Sunday, I will make it a bit more difficult for him.

“He’s the best player in the world for sure, and I’m just trying to give him a tough battle.”

The 29-year-old broke in the first and fifth games to surge into a 5-1 lead against his unseeded opponent.

Underdog Blockx, ranked 69th in the world, resisted strong pressure on his next service game, saving three set points to hold.

However, the dominant Zverev made no mistake with his fourth chance to wrap up the fourth stanza, laying down an ace.

Blockx survived two break points in the first game of the second set, and another in the third as Zverev worked him hard.

The Belgian, who defeated Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals, put up a brave display as he saved two more break points in each of the seventh and ninth games.

Eventually, Zverev took his eighth break point of the second set to nose 6-5 ahead, with a fortuitous net cord that broke Blockx’s resistance.

The German, who has suffered a string of semi-final defeats this season, made it to his first final with a powerful overhead winner.

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World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe on Friday hailed Sabastian Sawe, who became the first person to break the mythical two-hour mark during the London Marathon, telling AFP it was a feat that captured the imagination of the entire world.

The 31-year-old Kenyan won a stunning race around the streets of London last Sunday in 1hr 59min 30sec, edging a tight battle with Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also finished in under two hours.

“There was extraordinary enthusiasm,” Coe, a double Olympic gold medallist, told AFP in his first interview since Sawe smashed the record.

“I couldn’t switch a television on or listen to the radio or open a newspaper or go online without a lot of coverage. It was a leading story that day.”

Sawe’s time was more than one minute faster than the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by his compatriot, the late Kelvin Kiptum, in Chicago in 2023.

Sabastian Sawe also eclipsed the 1:59:40 posted by another Kenyan, Eliud Kipchoge, in a 2019 challenge in Vienna when he was aided by a guiding laser light and dozens of pacemakers.

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“Breaking the two-hour barrier in a competition, not a choreographed one, but in an absolutely full-blooded competition, I think did capture global imagination,” said Coe.

The 69-year-old also brushed aside criticism of the new generation of carbon-plated, ultra-light foam shoes, which have contributed to the steady descent of the marathon record.

“I think you would have an interesting reflection if you spoke to the coaches and said to them: Is your coaching less important than the quality of the shoes the athletes are wearing?” said Coe.

“There’s a balance, and at World Athletics, we really take that responsibility very seriously.

“But I don’t think it’s our job to strangle innovation. Our job is to make sure that the integrity of the competition remains in the right balance, and at the moment I think it is.”

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Marathon world record-breaker Sabastian Sawe received a customized number plate and a whopping cash prize from the president of Kenya.

Sawe created history with a record run, winning the London Marathon in 1:59:30, shattering the previous benchmark of 2:00:35 set by his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum.

Following his achievement, the 31-year-old received a hero’s welcome at home and was honored by President William Ruto at the Statehouse in Nairobi on Thursday.

The 31-year-old received a hero’s welcome at home and was honored by President William Ruto at State House in Nairobi on Thursday.

He was offered Ksh5 million, a reward for Kenyan athletes who break a world record, and an extra Ksh3 million for a gold medal, taking his tally to Ksh8 million from the government.

In addition to this, the President also gifted him a car with a customized number plate reading ‘01 59 30’, highlighting his remarkable achievement.

Moreover, the runner gifted the President a pair of Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 supershoes, which he used to break the historic marathon record.

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William Ruto praised Sebastian Sawe, saying his record is a testament to Kenya’s dominance in long-distance running.

“What Sabastian Sawe has done by running a marathon under two hours confirms Kenya’s place as the origin of wonder,” President Ruto said during the ceremony.

“If you are looking for the origin of wonder, it is right here, as we witnessed Sabastian Sawe make history and create new wonder for the world,” he added.

For the unversed, Kenya has dominated long-distance running, and its runners are superstars in the country. However, the pressure to break into the elite means that doping is a major problem in Kenya.

Two former Kenyan winners of the men’s race at the London Marathon, Wilson Kipsang, the victor in 2012 and 2014, and 2017 winner Daniel Wanjiru, are among those to have been subsequently banned.

In a bid to allay such suspicions about his own performances, Sawe has voluntarily subjected himself to extra drug testing, even paying $50,000 to be tested 25 times in the year by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) before last year’s Berlin race.

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Marathon world record-breaker Sabastian Sawe was received with a hero’s welcome as he returned to his home country of Kenya and was praised by President William Ruto on Thursday.

Sawe made history in London on Sunday by becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in race conditions.

Receiving Sawe at State House in Nairobi, Ruto said it was “a defining moment in the story of human endurance”.

He compared it to milestones in human history, including the first four-minute mile by Roger Bannister in 1954 and even the moon landing.

“Future generations will look back on 26 April, 2026, as the day a man broke through a physical and psychological barrier long thought insurmountable; and the name forever attached to that moment will be Sabastian Sawe,” Ruto said in a speech.

Sabastian Sawe clocked 1hr 59min 30sec in a tight battle with Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also came in under two hours.

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Sawe was mobbed at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when he landed late Wednesday.

“It is such a beautiful day. I’m glad you have joined me in celebrating, and that you have shown a spirit I never expected could be like this. I’m very grateful,” he told the crowd.

“I didn’t do it just for myself, I did it for all of us. And I would like us all to enjoy it and for it to stand as a record for all of us,” he added.

Kenya has dominated long-distance running, and its runners are superstars in the country.

The pressure to break into the elite means that doping is a major problem in Kenya.

Two former Kenyan winners of the men’s race at the London Marathon, Wilson Kipsang, the victor in 2012 and 2014, and 2017 winner Daniel Wanjiru, are among those to have been subsequently banned.

In a bid to allay such suspicions about his own performances, Sawe has voluntarily subjected himself to extra drug testing, even paying $50,000 to be tested 25 times in the year by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) before last year’s Berlin race.

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