Category: Other Sports

KARACHI: Pakistan runner Faisal Shafi achieved a Guinness World Record on Sunday by completing the Sydney Marathon in a light military uniform, honoring Pakistan’s armed forces.

Shafi, hailing from Karachi, set the record in the inaugural edition of the Sydney Marathon— since the race’s elevation to Abbot World Marathon Major Status.

The race, now the seventh member of the coveted World Marathon Major, took participants through Sydney’s most iconic landmarks.

The course passed the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Garden, and the waterfront of Sydney Cove.

The World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a championship-style competition for runners that started in 2006. The events are a points-based competition founded on seven major marathon races recognised as the most high-profile in a year.

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The series comprises annual races for the cities of Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.

Faisal Shafi achieved a landmark milestone after completing the challenging 42.195-kilometer course in 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 13 seconds, wearing light military gear, which marked a new world record entry in the category.

Following the marathon, Shafi expressed his thoughts while talking to a private TV channel.

“It was an ideal time to pay tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces, our martyrs, and the immense sacrifices of our soldiers,” Shafi said.

“I am proud to have done that as a civilian on this global stage.” Running in the specially designed military-inspired uniform was far from easy,” he added.

Concurrently, the fastest Pakistani to finish the Sydney Marathon 2025 was Ali Zaidi, based in Australia, who completed the race in 3:05:33.

READ: Former captain comments on Babar Azam’s match-winning ability

Untouchable Olympic champion Sifan Hassan shattered the course record Sunday to surge home first in a historic Sydney Marathon, with Hailemaryam Kiros matching her feat in the men’s race.

Run for the first time as one of the elite World Marathon Majors, Hassan was utterly dominant, clocking a blistering 2hrs 18min 22sec ahead of Kenya’s former world record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:18.56)

Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa, who came third, won the race last year in a then-record time, but Dutch multi-distance superstar Hassan obliterated it by more than three minutes.

Hassan, who will skip September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after opting to prioritise Sydney, admitted she almost misjudged her race.

“I pushed too hard and I learnt a lesson,” said the Ethiopian-born 32-year-old who has also won majors at London and Chicago. “I was so done the last 10k.

“It’s amazing, I’m really grateful,” she added. “I’m so happy to win with a course record. It’s history, it’s the first major marathon (in Sydney) and I’m the first winner.”

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The women’s race narrowed down to just five leaders early on before Hassan opened a commanding 40-second gap as she came through 35km before holding on to sprint home.

Kiros also produced a new record time, crossing the finish line at the Sydney Opera House in 2:06.06, 10 seconds clear of fellow Ethiopian Addisu Gobena, a star of the future aged just 20.

Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana was third.

Asked if he expected to break the course record, Kiros said: “Yes, because I prepared well.”

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, arguably the greatest men’s marathon runner of all time, failed in his bid to clinch a 12th marathon major, finishing ninth.

The 40-year-old was with the large lead group at halfway as they set a sizzling pace, but was dropped as the runners approached the 32km mark.

Kiros and Gobena led a seven-man breakaway before the pair opened up a gap between the chasing pack and couldn’t be caught.

Kiros made his move within one kilometre of the finish line to shave more than 10 seconds off the previous record set last year by Kenya’s Brimin Misoi.

Despite being off the pace, Kipchoge received the biggest cheer when he crossed the finish line.

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race and American Susannah Scaroni the women’s.

Around 35,000 runners, a record, competed over the picturesque 42.19 kilometre course through the city from North Sydney, over the Harbour Bridge to the finish line on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.

The race was elevated this year as the seventh World Marathon Majors, putting it on a par with London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York in the elite global series.

READ: Salman Ali Agha admits death-bowling concerns after victory over UAE

Novak Djokovic shook off a back problem to beat Britain’s Cam Norrie in four sets on Friday to become the oldest man to reach the US Open last 16 since Jimmy Connors in 1991.

The 38-year-old Djokovic defeated Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 6-3, staying in the hunt for an unprecedented 25th major title.

But the Serbian star admitted that whether his body can still withstand the grind of a two-week-long Grand Slam is potentially beyond his control.

“In terms of how I’m feeling, it really goes up and down, to be honest,” said Djokovic, who was compromised by injury at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.

“It’s frustrating for me, honestly, that I’m not able to feel 100% always like I have for 20-plus years.

“I guess the circumstances are quite different, and I have to get used to the fact that every match there’s something that might happen, as it has been the case this year, pretty much every Slam.”

Novak Djokovic earned a record 192nd Grand Slam match win on hard courts and also tied Roger Federer’s mark of last-16 appearances at the majors with 69.

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The four-time US Open champion has designs on going much further, though, health permitting.

“If the body doesn’t listen to me when I go deep in the Grand Slam tournaments, as it was kind of the case last few Slams, then that’s a hard one to swallow for me,” said Djokovic.

“I know the amount of hours I’m putting in daily to care for my body, but at the same time, you know, biological age is not something that I guess you can reverse.”

Djokovic has now defeated Norrie in all seven of their meetings and is through to the fourth round in New York for the 16th time.

On Sunday, he will play German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff, who has already knocked out two seeds in Holger Rune and Frances Tiafoe.

A lone break of Norrie’s serve in the seventh game was enough for Djokovic to pocket the opening set, but not before he summoned the physio to work on his lower back.

Djokovic headed off court for a medical timeout and returned to serve out the first set.

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“I don’t know when it gets cold tomorrow, I’ll see what the reality is,” said Djokovic of the nature of his injury.

“I was lucky, lucky not to, you know, have that burden stay there. It was just there for a few games, and after that it was fine.”

He had the chance to make further inroads in the second set, but Norrie saved three break points and then pinched the tie-break from his rival, who double-faulted on set point.

Norrie took that momentum into the third set with an early break, drawing an emphatic response from Djokovic as he responded by winning four straight games.

Djokovic soon made the set his, and another break to start the fourth set gave him the cushion required to close out a milestone victory.

“These kinds of matches and performances always give me hope that I can go far, challenge the best players in the world,” said Djokovic.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka extends tie-break streak in win over Leylah Fernandez

World number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Friday after extending her remarkable streak of tie-break victories to defeat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.

Reigning champion Sabalenka punched her ticket to the last 16 after seeing off Fernandez 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in one hour and 39 minutes on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sabalenka’s decisive second-set victory was capped by her 18th consecutive tie-break win.

The victory was also sweet revenge for Sabalenka, who suffered an upset defeat to then-teenager Fernandez in the semi-finals of the 2021 US Open.

“I wanted this revenge badly,” Sabalenka said afterwards. “It was a tough lesson for me back then. Since then, we never played again.

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“I just wanted to prove to myself that the lesson was learned and that I developed as a player, and I could get this win.”

Sabalenka attributes her dominance of tie-breaks this season to a tougher mental approach.

“I definitely think that mentally I’m pretty strong, and I’m still growing, because I’m learning a lot of lessons, and all of those lessons are making me tougher, tougher, and tougher,” she said.

Asked if she believed her opponents were aware of her tie-break record, she replied: “I hope so. I’m not focusing on that during the match, obviously. But extra pressure on my opponents? I love that.”

The skilful Fernandez, the 31st seed, had started brightly, earning four break points on Sabalenka’s opening service game of the first set.

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Crucially, though, Aryna Sabalenka saved them all before holding, and then took advantage in the fourth game when Fernandez double-faulted to hand the Belarusian a break for a 3-1 lead.

That break was all Sabalenka needed to close out the set.

A tense second set saw Fernandez continue to cause problems for Sabalenka, who again was forced to fight off a break point in the sixth game.

But when the set went to a decisive tie-break, there only ever looked like being one winner, with Sabalenka scoring three mini-breaks in rapid succession to help open up a 4-1 lead.

That soon became 6-1, and Sabalenka sealed a win that sees her into a fourth-round showdown with unseeded Spaniard Cristina Bucsa.

READ: Rashid Khan laments lost momentum in defeat against Pakistan

Reigning Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan plans to skip the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, instead preferring to be part of history in Sydney.

The Dutch multi-distance superstar is one of the marquee drawcards at Sunday’s Sydney Marathon, which will be run for the first time as one of the elite World Marathon Majors, joining the likes of London, New York, and Boston.

Hassan, who was born in Ethiopia, said the turnaround for the world championships barely two weeks later was too tight.

“In two weeks or three weeks, I don’t even know if I’m going to recover,” Hassan, 32, told reporters. “Like the first couple of days, I barely walk after a marathon.

“It was a hard decision for me because… I have never skipped any world championships (since her debut in 2015).

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“But I really want to be part of the Sydney Marathon because it’s the first major marathon (in Australia). Who doesn’t want to be part of the first major marathon?”

The world championships are on September 13-21.

Sifan Hassan won the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and came third over 1500m, so she has fond memories of the Japanese capital.

“I really thought about it. I really thought about what to do, but my heart really wanted to be (in Sydney),” she said.

Pre-race favourite Hassan will be joined on the starting line by defending Sydney champion Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa and Kenya’s five-time major winner Brigid Kosgei.

Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge is the headline attraction in the men’s field.

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LAUSANNE: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Thursday confirmed the Pakistan hockey team’s spot in the Pro League 2025.

A month earlier, the Pakistan hockey team received a formal invitation from the FIH to participate in the Hockey Pro League, scheduled to take place in December this year.

The invitation followed New Zealand’s decision not to participate in the FIH Hockey Pro League due to financial constraints.

Consequently, the FIH gave PHF a deadline to inform about its decision to accept or decline the invitation.

However, after the federal government approved a financial assistance package of Rs 250 million, it was all but confirmed that the national team would participate in the marquee event.

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FIH President Tayyab Ikram expressed excitement about Pakistan’s participation in the tournament.

“Great to see Pakistan back in elite competition – this is a truly impactful milestone for world hockey. Their return marks not only the comeback of a team with such a rich and storied history, but also an exciting boost to the visibility and reach of the FIH Hockey Pro League,” he said.

“I can already anticipate an enhanced visibility of the Pro League with Pakistan’s participation. Congratulations to the Pakistan men’s team for qualifying through the FIH Hockey Nations Cup and earning their place in the ‘League of the Best’ for the very first time,” he added.

The FIH president discussed opportunities at the entry level and the pathway to reaching the top level.

This achievement is a strong example of how creating more opportunities at every level of our sport fosters growth and provides a natural pathway to the very top,” the apex body president concluded.

For context, the FIH Pro League began in 2019 and is contested annually by the top nine national hockey teams, as ranked.

Pakistan’s hockey team will join Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, the Netherlands, and Spain in the Hockey Pro League – the seventh edition of the competition.

The Green Shirts will replace Ireland, who were relegated at the end of the previous season, following their ninth-place finish in the league.

The team with the highest points at the end of the tournament is crowned Champion and awarded the Pro League Trophy.

READ: Sri Lanka announce squad for Asia Cup 2025

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday sanctioned a financial assistance package of Rs250 million for the Pakistan hockey team’s participation in the upcoming FIH Pro League. 

According to a letter released by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), an additional Rs 400 million has been allocated from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) to provide funds to the sports federation.

From the amount released, Rs 250 million will be provided to the PHF for the expenses of the national team’s participation in the marquee event,” the letter said.

“Rs 150 million has been allocated for the organization to host the first National Youth Games, which will be held in Islamabad,” it added.

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Furthermore, the PSB has instructed the PHF to outline a plan for the Pakistan hockey team’s participation in the Pro League within three days, which includes details of the travel schedule, administrative and logistical matters, and training program.

A month earlier, the Pakistan hockey team received a formal invitation from the FIH to participate in the Hockey Pro League, scheduled to take place in December this year.

The invitation followed New Zealand’s decision not to participate in the FIH Hockey Pro League due to financial constraints.

Consequently, the FIH gave PHF a deadline to inform about its decision to accept or decline the invitation.

For context, the FIH Pro League began in 2019 and is contested annually by the top nine national hockey teams, as ranked.

The team with the highest points at the end of the tournament is crowned Champion and awarded the Pro League Trophy.

READ: Former pacer slams Mohammad Haris over remarks on Babar Azam’s T20 approach

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey team will participate in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Cup Qualifiers 2026 after opting out of the Men’s Asia Cup.

The Hockey Asia Cup 2025, which serves as a qualifying event for the World Cup 2026, is scheduled to be held in Rajgir, India, from August 27 to September 7.

According to FIH qualifying criteria, the winner of the Hockey Asia Cup will secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

A few days earlier, the Pakistan Hockey team withdrew from the Asia Cup due to growing political tensions and serious security concerns for its players.

Now, the Pakistan Hockey team will be looking for its first and only chance to qualify for the mega event.

It is noteworthy to mention that the FIH World Cup 2026 qualifiers are scheduled from February 28 to March 8 next year.

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The hockey governing body will hold qualifying tournaments on the scheduled dates, with a maximum of eight teams participating in each event. The top three teams from each round will advance to the World Cup.

Among the teams that will participate in the qualifiers are the United States, Canada, Chile, France, England, Austria, Poland, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.

The qualifiers will feature five teams from Asia and one from Africa, including Pakistan hockey team.

In total, 16 teams will be in action in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026, which will be held in the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30.

Besides, seven teams that will play qualifiers, nine team have already secured their place in the marquee event.

Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Argentina, and Germany are six strong teams that have already secured their spots in World Cup 2026.

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Former tennis world number one Novak Djokovic says the expansion of most ATP Masters 1000 events to 12 days makes them “just way too long for me” as he focuses on his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title.

“To be quite frank with you, I don’t enjoy the two-week Masters events anymore,” Djokovic said Friday as he spoke to reporters before the Sunday start of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of 2025.

“It’s just way too long for me. My primary focus is on the Slams, and I have mentioned that before.

“But I also like other tournaments. I’d like to play more of the other tournaments, but we currently have 12 Grand Slams a year, informally and unofficially, when you think about it.

“Grand Slam is two weeks, and the other Masters events are almost two weeks, as well.”

At 38, the former world number one says his priorities have changed in the latter stages of his career.

“I’m not chasing the rankings or building up my points or defending, et cetera,” Djokovic said. “I just don’t think about it anymore.

“For me, it’s really about where do I find motivation and joy? Where will I be inspired to play the best tennis? And where do I care to be, really, and play?”

With family now at the forefront of his life, Djokovic said, he is less willing to miss out on major personal milestones.

He noted that his daughter’s birthday falls on September 2, when he could find himself playing in the US Open quarter-finals.

“But those are types of things that I really don’t want to be missing anymore,” he said.

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Novak Djokovic, a long-time advocate for player input in matters such as scheduling and player compensation, said he does not see how the Masters 1000s could revert to the previous format.

Canada and Cincinnati in the run-up to the US Open became 12-day events this year.

“In the end of the day, when the players needed to be active and when there was a time of negotiations and decision-making, players weren’t participating enough,” he said.

Djokovic himself has not played since a comprehensive semi-final loss to the current world number one, Jannik Sinner, at Wimbledon in July.

He acknowledged that he is coming in “cold” in terms of match play, but said he had been training hard as he eyes a return to the later stages of the US Open.

A four-time winner in Flushing Meadows, Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2017 when he lost to Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round of last year’s tournament.

But this week, Novak Djokovic has taken some time to explore New York as well, notably throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Yankees baseball game.

“It was a great experience,” said Djokovic, adding that he met Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

He also thought he acquitted himself well with his pitch.

“I didn’t throw that accurate, but it still wasn’t as embarrassing I think as some of the other guys I saw in the past.”

READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 draw to be held at Kennedy Center, says Donald Trump

LAHORE: The Pakistan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (PAKMMAF) has announced the launch of a landmark event titled Battle for Truth – Pakistan Combat Night, to celebrate the country’s sporting victories and express solidarity with the Armed Forces.

Scheduled for August 24 at DHA Stadium, Phase 6, Lahore, the event will feature two major competitions: the Pakistan Open MMA Championship and Road to BRAVE 100.

This high-impact showcase further cements MMA’s rise as the future of sports in Pakistan, and is being held with the support of the Punjab government.

In the Pakistan Open MMA Championship, amateur fighters, including both men and women, from four regional teams will compete across various weight categories.

The winners will earn a spot to represent Pakistan at the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia later this year.

The Road to BRAVE 100 fight card will feature five of Pakistan’s top fighters squaring off against elite international opponents from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Egypt, and Morocco.

Victors will qualify for BRAVE CF 100, the global flagship event of BRAVE Combat Federation, held in Bahrain under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

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Pakistan MMA Federation Omar Ahmed thanked Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her leadership, stating: “With her unwavering support, MMA is now the sport of choice for Pakistani youth. Kids can relate more to Khabib than Babar Azam. We are proud to see it emerge as the future of sports with some champions as global icons .”

Highlighting the sport’s momentum, Ahmed recalled that MMA athletes of Pakistan have faced Indian fighters ten times last year across events in Dubai, Lahore, and Bahrain, winning all ten bouts.

“This clean sweep was a proud moment for the country and coincided with major victories by our Armed Forces, reflecting unity and national strength on every front.”

This year’s edition will feature standout female athletes Bano Butt and Iman Khan, both gold medalists, continuing MMA’s powerful role in advancing women’s empowerment through sport.

Punjab Sports Minister Faisal Khokhar added: “We aim to make Punjab the sports capital of Pakistan, and MMA is central to that vision.”

Pakistan Combat Night is not just a tournament — it’s a national statement, showcasing talent, unity, and the country’s ambition to dominate global combat sports.

READ: Yasir Sultan wins bronze at Asian Throwing Championship