Pakistani Shalwar kameez duo Faisal, Danish make Boston Marathon history

BOSTON: Two Pakistani runners from Pakistan, Faisal Shafi and Danish Elahi, has made history at the 129th Boston Marathon by setting a unique world record — completing the race in traditional Pakistani attire, shalwar kameez.

They not only finished the prestigious marathon in shalwar kameez but did so in an impressive time of 3 hours and 26 minutes — making it the fastest-ever marathon completed in shalwar kameez and the first time this was achieved in under four hours.

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Held on April 21, the iconic race saw participation from 18 Pakistani runners, six of whom — Danish Elahi, Adnan Gandhi, Hira Diwan, Yasra Bukhari, Nizar Nayani, and Jamal Khan — achieved the coveted “Six Star Finisher” status.

This distinction is reserved for athletes who complete all six major world marathons: Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London, and Tokyo.

Speaking after the race, Danish Elahi said the achievement was dedicated to the people of Pakistan. “It’s an unforgettable moment to set this record in such a historic race.”

The other runner in shalwar kameez, Faisal Shafi, said, “This was all about highlighting a positive image of Pakistan — and we’ll be celebrating this once we return home.”

This year’s men’s title went to Kenya’s John Korir, while last year’s winner Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia dropped out mid-race due to fitness issues. In the women’s category, Kenyan runner Sharon Lokedi secured victory with the fastest time.

Among the standout Pakistani participants was veteran runner Adnan Gandhi, who trained at night during Ramazan to prepare for the event.

Female athlete Hira Dewan, one of the six-star finishers, called her performance the result of “14 years of hard work” and expressed hope that more Pakistani women would participate in such international events despite cultural challenges.

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Danish Elahi summed up the sentiment, saying: “Every athlete dreams of bringing pride to their nation. We want the world to see the positive side of Pakistan.”

The total Pakistani participants in the Boston Marathon included Dr Salman Khan, Aamir Butt, Jamal Khan, Nizar Nayani, Hira Diwan, Salman Ilyas, Yasra Bukhari, Sarah Lodhi, Sadiq Shah, Adnan Gandhi, Ayaz Abdullah, Danish Elahi, Amin Mukaty, Abdur Rehman, Faisal Shafi, Umer Malik, Qamar Zia and Dr Ravia Bukhari.