The athlete said he covered between 70 and 85 kilometres daily, depending on the circumstances.

PESHAWAR: Record-holding ultra-endurance athlete Masood Khan received a warm welcome at Peshawar Sports Complex after completing an extraordinary 1,850-kilometre journey from Peshawar to Karachi on foot in 24 days.

Director General Sports Wasal Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dawood Salimi, Additional Director General Sports Rasheeda Ghaznavi, Director Operations Jamshed Baloch and other officials welcomed the athlete with floral garlands and congratulated him on his achievement.

Speaking at the reception, Wasal Khan said Masood had brought honour to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan through his determination, courage and hard work.

He described the achievement as an inspiration for young people and said the provincial government was committed to supporting talented athletes and promoting sports activities.

Sports Department Announces Rs500,000 Award

Wasal Khan announced that the Sports Department would organise a marathon along the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route in November, alongside other sporting competitions.

He also announced a cash award of Rs500,000 for Masood in recognition of his accomplishment.

Dawood Salimi praised the athlete’s perseverance, saying his achievement demonstrated that challenging goals could be accomplished through dedication and consistent effort.

He added that the district administration would continue supporting sports and positive activities for young people.

Athlete Faced Extreme Weather During Journey

Masood said his main motivation was to honour the memory of his late father and bring recognition to Pakistan.

Describing the 24-day journey as a major test of physical endurance, he said he faced scorching heat, rain and several other hardships along the route. He also lost consciousness at one point but resumed the challenge after recovering.

The athlete said he covered between 70 and 85 kilometres daily, depending on the circumstances.

He prepared for the challenge through 90 days of intensive training, spending around eight hours each day on physical preparation.

Masood’s Previous Endurance Achievements

Masood said he had won 49 medals in full and half-marathon competitions across Pakistan, including 24 gold medals.

He also recalled completing another endurance challenge by covering approximately 808 kilometres on foot from Peshawar to Skardu in nine days.