Mohammad Zaid has claimed bronze in the Open Men’s 400m hurdles at the 2026 Pakistan National Athletics Championships, securing his first senior national medal and a historic first for FAST Running.
There are some performances that mean a little more than the result recorded beside an athlete’s name.
For Mohammad Zaid, finishing third in the Open Men’s 400m hurdles at the Pakistan National Athletics Championships was one of those moments.
Competing for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) in Karachi on 24 October, Zaid crossed the finish line in 57.6 seconds, claiming the bronze medal behind Hazrat Umer of WAPDA (55.1) and Faizan Khan of HEC (56.1).
It was Zaid’s first medal at an Open Men’s National Championship.
And it was also FAST Running’s first medal at Pakistan’s national athletics championships.
That’s a milestone worth celebrating.
A medal that means more than third place
National championships bring together athletes representing provinces, departments and sporting organisations from across Pakistan.
For Zaid, the opportunity to compete at this level represents another important step in his development.
We’ve been working with our Pakistan athletes remotely, supporting their training, reviewing performances and helping them prepare for competition from thousands of kilometres away.
It’s a different coaching arrangement from the one our athletes experience here in Canberra, but the principles remain the same.
We want athletes to have clear goals, understand their training, develop their abilities and have opportunities to compete.
Zaid’s bronze medal is a wonderful reward for the work that has gone into that process.
And while 57.6 seconds is the performance recorded in the results, the achievement is about much more than the time.
It’s about reaching the podium at a national championship for the first time.
More than one event, more than one contribution
Zaid’s championships weren’t limited to the 400m hurdles.
Representing KPK, he also competed in both the semifinals and finals of the men’s 4 × 400m and 4 × 100m relays.
His 4 × 400m team finished sixth in the final, while the 4 × 100m team finished fourth, narrowly missing another medal.
Fellow FAST athlete Abubakar was also part of the KPK 4 × 100m team, sharing in that fourth-place finish.
Meanwhile, FAST athlete Wajid Ali represented WAPDA in the men’s 4 × 100m semifinal, with his team finishing seventh.
It’s encouraging to see our Pakistan athletes contributing across different events and representing their respective teams at national level.
Relays bring their own challenges, particularly when athletes need to combine individual speed with effective baton exchanges, coordination and teamwork.
For athletes who spend much of their time preparing for individual events, those opportunities to contribute to a team are valuable experiences.
And with Zaid and Abubakar finishing fourth in the 4 × 100m, there’s already another result to chase.
A FAST family stretching across continents
One of the most enjoyable parts of coaching our Pakistan athletes is seeing how strongly they’ve embraced being part of FAST.
The distance between Canberra and Pakistan creates some obvious challenges. We can’t always stand beside the track, observe every repetition or have the conversations we’d normally have between efforts.
Instead, we rely on communication, training feedback, performance results and the commitment of the athletes and people supporting them locally.
That’s why the photograph we received following Zaid’s bronze medal was particularly special.
Alongside the medal was a cake celebrating his achievement, with a handwritten message to the FAST family, Coach Steven Dodt and Salman Farsi.
It’s a small gesture, but it says a great deal about the relationships that have developed.
Our athletes in Pakistan might train and compete thousands of kilometres from Canberra, but they’re very much part of our squad.
And when one of them achieves something special, we all get to share in the excitement.
Building towards the next opportunity
The championships have also reinforced how important competition opportunities are for developing athletes.
Not every athlete gets the result or opportunity they were hoping for. Selection decisions, competition arrangements and the challenges of preparing for major events can all affect an athlete’s season.
But one championship doesn’t define an athlete’s future.
For Zaid, the bronze medal provides a new benchmark and the confidence that comes from knowing he can compete successfully at senior national level.
For Abubakar, Wajid and the wider FAST Pakistan squad, there are further opportunities ahead to continue developing and testing themselves against strong competition.
We’ll keep working with the athletes, reviewing what they’ve learned and preparing for the next challenge.
That’s what development is about.
A first for Zaid. A first for FAST.
When we began supporting athletes in Pakistan, our goal was to give them access to structured coaching, development opportunities and a wider sporting community.
Seeing Zaid stand on the podium at the Pakistan National Athletics Championships is a particularly rewarding moment in that journey.
It’s his first Open Men’s National Championship medal.
It’s FAST Running’s first medal at Pakistan’s national championships.
And we hope it won’t be the last.
Congratulations, Zaid, on a wonderful achievement. Congratulations also to Abubakar and Wajid for their contributions at the championships, and thank you to Salman Farsi for his ongoing support of our athletes in Pakistan.
We’re proud of what you’re building together.
One FAST family. Two countries. A shared commitment to Running Excellence.
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