Sports Board Punjab’s grand Jashan-e-Baharan events concluded on Sunday with the participation of thousands of male and female athletes of all age groups in Run Lahore Run Marathon, Tour de Lahore Cycle Race, Wheelchair Race and Family Fun Race.
Sohail Amir Kathia won the Run Lahore Run Marathon to earn a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh. He covered the distance of 42-km in two hours, 20 minutes and 24 seconds. The runner up Israr Khattak was given Rs 5 lakh while a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh was awarded to third position holder Abdur Rasheed.
The cash prizes of Rs 4 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs one lakh were given to the top three position holders Ali Ilyas, Abdul Basit and Aqib Shah respectively in the Tour de Lahore Cycle Race.
The top three position holders of 5km Women Cycle Race Rajia Shabbir, Razia Hanif and Zainab Rizwan bagged Rs 50,000, Rs 35,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. Similarly, in Wheelchair Race, cash prizes of Rs one lakh, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 were awarded to top three position holders – M Razzaq, Mian Azhar and Zahid Nazeer respectively.
In male Family Fun Race, Amir Abbas, Samiullah and Usama Hassan were declared top three position holders and were given cash prizes of Rs 50,000, Rs 35,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.
In the female Family Fun Race, Rabia Ashiq was adjudged winner and honoured with a cash prize of Rs 50,000. The second and third positions were taken by Khadeeja Qadir and Kubra Sadiq who were awarded cash prizes of Rs 35,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively.
Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Shahid Zaman, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi and Chairman Kingdom Valley Ghulam Hussain Shahid were the guests of honour on this occasion. Later, they also distributed prizes among the top position holders of Run Lahore Run Marathon, Tour de Lahore Cycle Race, Wheelchair Race and Family Fun Race.
Assistant Commissioner Model Town Sahibzada Yousaf, Director Youth Affairs Syed Umair Hassan, Director Admin Ijaz Munir, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Zeeshan Ranjha, Divisional Sports Officer Lahore Tariq Khanzada, Olympians Arshad Nadeem, Shabana Akhtar, Director Sports Chand Perveen, Deputy Director Budget and Accounts Nadeem Qaiser, Deputy Director Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, District Sports Officer Lahore Tanveer Shah and other officials were also present on this occasion.
The participants of Run Lahore Run Marathon, Tour de Lahore Cycle Race, Wheelchair Race and Family Fun Race started their races from Liberty Chowk and reached their destination at the same point after covering their respective distances.
Talking on this occasion, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Shahid Zaman said that Sports Department Punjab celebrated Jashan-e-Baharan festivities in a befitting manner by holding several exciting sports events during the last couple of days. “The participation of thousands of male and female athletes in thrilling sports events reflected the immense passion of our people in healthy sports activities,” he asserted.
While talking to media, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi said definitely, it is a historic day and the Tour de Lahore Cycle Race and Lahore Marathon are the biggest events of Jashan-e-Baharan celebrations. “Several professional athletes and other runners from all over the country participated in these races,” he added.
Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi further said that Sports Board Punjab is working hard for the promotion of sports culture across the province. “We are planning to hold an international marathon in October this year,” he added.
Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi said that more than 800 men and women participated in the Fun Race while dozens of special people participated in wheelchair race. “Certainly, it was a great activity and Sports Board Punjab will continue to hold such healthy sports events in future as well,” he maintained.
Kingdom Valley Chairman Ghulam Hussain Shahid on this occasion said that the Jashan-e-Baharan sports event was a wonderful platform for talented athletes to demonstrate their sports skills. “The sports culture is flourishing in Punjab province quite successfully under the leadership of Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Shahid Zaman and Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi,” he added.
Different departments including Rescue 1122, Police and Traffic Police made excellent arrangements for the holding of Run Lahore Run Marathon, Tour de Lahore Cycle Race, Wheelchair Race and Family Fun Race events in a peaceful and disciplined manner. Medical camp, desks of Civil Defence and Information and Facilitation were also established for the guidance and convenience of athletes and sports lovers.