Epic Battle For KLSCM 2024 Full Marathon Malaysian Category

Additional Safety Feature Through Medic On The Run

KUALA LUMPUR, Saturday: The 16th edition of the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2024 promises to be an exciting affair with an exceptionally strong field competing to clinch the blue-ribbon Full Marathon Malaysian Men category from two-time consecutive champion Poo Vasanthan. At least six high-performance runners will be challenging each other for the much sought-after Malaysian Men Full Marathon crown.

KLSCM 2023 FM Malaysian Men winner Poo Vasanthan breasting the finishing tape

The six runners include well-known names like Vasanthan, five-time KLSCM champion Muhaizar Mohamad and last year’s runners-up Nik Fakaruddin, who will be going toe to toe with up-and-coming runners like Muhamad Haziq, Vimal Govendarajoo and Jacob Wong Yize. Haziq achieved a fourth-place finish at KLSCM 2022 and has won a few local races in 2023 and 2024, before recording one of the fastest times (2:31:57) by a Malaysian in the Gold Coast Marathon earlier this year. Vimal has been blazing a trail in the Half Marathon recently, winning a number of local titles, and also recording an exceptionally fast time (1:10:18) in the Half Marathon at this year’s Gold Coast Marathon. Vimal will be making his Full Marathon debut at KLSCM 2024 and is definitely one to watch. Another Malaysian who clocked a very fast time (2:31:21) at the Seoul Marathon this year was Jacob who, although in the beginning of his nascent running career, will be the proverbial dark horse who might just crash the party with a podium finish. 

Muhaizar Mohamad at KLSCM 2023

Nik Fakaruddin at KLSCM 2023

Jacob Wong Yize at KLSCM 2023

Vasanthan, 26, who credits his father-cum-coach for his success, will have to be at his best to fend off his challengers as he seeks a hat trick of KLSCM titles. “I’m in the last stages of my training, which has been specifically designed by my father to prepare for a big race like KLSCM. I will not be overconfident and underestimate any runner but focus on my strategy and do my level best,” said Vasanthan.

“It’s great to see fresh new faces in contention for the Full Marathon Malaysian category title, which is a positive sign that we’re gradually succeeding in building a larger pool of local talent in the marathon,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events. “These are hard-working young runners who are driven to perform at the highest level and we look forward to witnessing their continued progress,” he added. 

Rainer Biemans - Director of Dirigo Events and KLSCM Project Director 02

The Full Marathon Men Open category, usually dominated by Kenyans, will also feature its own underdog in Keisuke Yokota from Japan. Keisuke, who hails from Saitama, has a personal best of 2:11:43, recorded at the 2023 Osaka Marathon, putting him in contention for the title. “I wanted the challenge of an overseas marathon this year and I think taking part in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon would be a great choice for me, especially since I can also help expose this world-class event to more Japanese runners,” said Keisuke. He will need to be at his best to beat Kenyan defending champion Kiprop Tonui, who is a serial podium finisher at KLSCM.

Keisuke Yokota at the Osaka Marathon

KLSCM 2023 FM Open and Malaysian Winners - Beatrice Jelagat, Kiprop Tonui, Poo Vasanthan and Michelle Chuah

The Malaysian Women’s Full Marathon category is also expected to be an exciting affair with defending champion Michelle Chua Khit Yeng and runners-up Noor Amelia returning to resume their rivalry. Noor Amelia was the winner of the category in 2022 and is hoping to take back the title from Michelle this year. Also in the mix this time is Tahira Najmunisaa, who came in second in 2022, edging out Michelle to third place. All three women will be in an intense battle to win the coveted KLSCM crown at the internationally recognised Road Race Label event.

Michelle Chua after winning the FM Women Malaysian category at KLSCM 2023

Noor Amelia at KLSCM 2023

A record 42,000 runners will converge on the iconic Dataran Merdeka over two days on 5 and 6 October, with the 5km, 10km and Kids Dash categories taking place on the first day and the Full Marathon and Half Marathon categories taking place on the second day. In this edition, the country’s premier distance running event will introduce enhanced safety measures by physically deploying 35 medical personnel on the Half and Full Marathon routes. Medic On The Run, a joint initiative between race owner and organiser Dirigo Events, and newly onboarded official medical partner Pantai Hospital KL, aims to provide quicker medical attention to potential race emergencies. 

FM Men Malaysian Podium L-R Mak Joon Nien, Nik Fakaruddin, Poo Vasanthan, Leo Tan Huong Leong and Stadard Chartered Saadiq's CEO Mohd Shuhaimi Abdul Halim

Some of these medical personnel on route will also be running with AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators), enabling them to provide swift emergency services to stricken runners. The Medic On The Run, while delivering essential and rapid medical services to runners, will also add a dash of vibrancy to the event with their brightly coloured red uniforms, making this Race Weekend extra significant. 

Jacob Wong Yize receiving his second place medal for the 10km Open at KLSCM 2023

Dirigo Events and Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur sent two of Pantai’s Emergency Services Specialists to Antalya, Turkiye earlier this year to gain their Race Emergency certification at a conference under the auspices of World Athletics. Both doctors from Pantai will be heading the medical team on Race Weekend. “In our efforts to continuously raise the bar on the organisation of distance running events in Malaysia, we want to prioritise the health and safety of all our runners through the Medic On The Run programme, which we hope will elevate our race emergency preparedness in accordance with international standards,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events. 

L-R Mak Joon Nien, Noor Amelia, Michelle Chua and Chew Jia Qi

KLSCM 2024 will also continue their journey towards sustainability, which began last year, by implementing further measures to minimise the event’s carbon footprint and make it more environmentally friendly. Dirigo Events introduced refillable water stations last year and encouraged runners to bring their own refillable water containers to reduce the enormous amounts of paper cups handed out by volunteers. The organisers also cut down on single use plastics for medals and other materials and composted tonnes of organic waste from the bananas, apples and pears that were given to runners at the finish line.

Vimal Govendarajoo receiving his 1st place mock cheque for HM Malaysian category at KLSCM 2023

This year, the organiser will additionally be doing away with sponges at designated water stations which were used by runners to cool down previously. This time around, runners will be encouraged to splash water on themselves from tubs at these stations to reduce the waste from sponges that totalled 48,000 pieces in 2023. All KLSCM tote and drawstring bags which are given out to runners at the Race Village and at the KLSCM Race Entry Pack Collection (REPC) respectively, will also be made from 100% recyclable material. Dirigo will continue to compost fruits and other organic waste and minimise the use of single-use plastics. The event’s apparel partner Pressio also represents the vanguard in fully sustainable high-performance wear, guaranteeing complete traceability throughout their supply chain.

KLSCM’s Run For A Reason (RFAR) social initiative is an integral component of the Road Race Label event, where runners from all walks of life come together to help raise funds for the beneficiary charities on the platform. This year’s charities are Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, Hospis Malaysia, Kechara Soup Kitchen and Teach for Malaysia. Dirigo is hoping to breach the RM1 million mark in funds raised for the very first time this year and received a massive shot in the arm when the CEOs of title sponsor Standard Chartered Malaysia and Standard Chartered Saadiq, Mak Joon Nien and Bilal Parvaiz respectively, decided to have a friendly competition to see who could raise more funds for Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the Bank’s global youth economic empowerment initiative that is aimed at tackling inequality by promoting greater economic inclusion. Together, they have raised an incredible RM163,460 so far, bringing the total funds raised for RFAR this year to around RM850,000.

Mak said, “As title sponsor for the 16th year of the KLSCM, Standard Chartered has always been a staunch supporter of RFAR and appreciates the effort that the running community makes to effect positive social change. What is most memorable, for me, is how the marathon sparks new connections: The forming of friendships on and off the track, runners supporting each other as they soldier on, and the crowd cheering for every runner to cross the finish line – an extraordinary demonstration of unity, inclusivity and community.

Standard Chartered Malaysia CEO - Mak Joon Nien

“This year, Bilal and I are taking on the helm to do what we can to contribute. We’ve made good progress towards reaching our RM1 million target, so I implore all runners to join us to reach that goal so that we can help as many Malaysians as possible.”

KLSCM has evolved to become the biggest running event in Malaysia that attracts thousands of local and international runners whilst firmly establishing Malaysia in the global running calendar. This year saw a 72% increase in the number of running tourists coming to Kuala Lumpur, totalling over 2,500, to take part in the event, bringing in significant tourism revenue to the country. The 16th edition of the event will once again see sponsorship from Title Sponsor Standard Chartered Malaysia, along with Gold Sponsor Boost Juice Malaysia, Pressio, 100 Plus, Brooks, Seiko, TudungPeople, Pantai Hospital KL and Counterpain. This event is supported by venue host DBKL, along with MAF and FTKLAA, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism.

KLSCM 2024 Records Largest Number of Running Tourists Yet

Largest contingent will be from Indonesia, more than double 2023 numbers

The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon is the premier distance running event in Malaysia, with participation numbers not matched by any other road race in Malaysia. This year, a record 42,000 participants, comprising new, seasoned and competitive runners, will congregate at Dataran Merdeka over Race Weekend, which takes place on 5 & 6 October 2024.

The event has grown from strength to strength over the years and is a much sought-after race for the running community, with it fondly being known as the “Hari Raya” of running in recent times. While participation is largely made up of Malaysians both, from within the Klang Valley and from the rest of the country, the event’s international reputation is also gaining traction.

The event usually receives between 1,500 to 1,700 running tourists from 40 – 50 countries around the world each year, bringing in significant tourism revenues to the city and the country. This year however, will see over 2,500 running tourists from 45 different countries participate in the race, representing a 72% increase from 2023. A large proportion of these runners are from Indonesia, with over 1,200 runners making their way to Kuala Lumpur, more than double the numbers from 2023.

Indonesia is going through a surge in the popularity of running, largely driven by the explosion of social media. Runners want to amplify their achievements, as well as highlight cool, running locations that end up inspiring others to take up the sport. 

Hizkia Tri Hananto, a 45-year-old team leader at a multinational manufacturing company in Batam agrees that social media has a big part to play in driving participation numbers up. “Lately, running has become very popular in Indonesia, and I believe social media has been very influential in driving this increase,” said Hizkia. 

50-year-old Yudha Mega Kusumonegoro, from Jakarta also attributes the increase in Indonesian runners to social media. “Running is more popular in Indonesia now, especially when social media influencers post their running activities. Last year I happened to meet a group of runners from the Eastern part of Indonesia (Sulawesi) which was unusual as I used to only meet runners from Medan and Jakarta previously,” said Yudha.

Yudha at KLSCM 2017

Yudha at KLSCM 2018

Suyanti, 32, who hails from Tanjung Pinang, believes that Indonesian running groups play a big role in fuelling the popularity in running and the increased participation n events like KLSCM. “Most Indonesian runners are usually part of a running group, of which there are many here. If someone from a group signs up for an event, chances are high that others would follow,” she said.

Suyanti at KLSCM 2023

Suyanti with her finisher medal at KLSCM 2023

For Indonesian runners who want to explore a runcation (travelling for a holiday while participating in a running event) experience, Kuala Lumpur is an obvious choice due to its proximity, connectivity and costs. For Francis Sukardono, a 46-year-old Oil & Gas inspector from Batam who will be participating in KLSCM for the first time, these factors played a big part in influencing his decision to sign up for Malaysia’s largest distance running event.

Francis and Hizkia at SCSM2023

“Kuala Lumpur is not too far from Indonesia, especially Batam. The costs of flights from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur is also not expensive, and accommodation in Malaysia is still reasonably priced,” said Francis.

Francis at SCSM2023

Hizkia was in agreement with Francis with regards to distance and costs being significant factors to the influx of running tourists from Indonesia. “Many people are looking for domestic or international running events and Malaysia is a good choice because of its proximity to Indonesia, with ease of transportation at reasonable prices for traveling or vacations,” he said.

Hizkia and family sightseeing in KL

Compared to Francis, Hizkia, Yudha and Suyanti have participated in KLSCM before. In fact, Yudha has taken part in five previous editions and has had extremely successful outings in 2018 and 2019 when he secured 4th and 5th spots in the Full Marathon Veteran Open category. “I’ve been happy with my previous performances but I don’t have a specific target this time. I just want to enjoy the race,” he said.

Hizkia and his wife posing with their race bibs at KLSCM 2023

Hizkia at KLSCM 2023

Hizkia, on the other hand, will be making his second appearance at KLSCM after taking part for the first time last year. “I initially took part last year for the convenience since Malaysia was close to Batam but I am returning this year because I found the event to be well organised with a very lively atmosphere,” he said. Suyanti will also be making her second appearance at KLSCM after participating last year. “I signed up last year because I wanted to try running in another country and Malaysia would be the most convenient but after experiencing the euphoria of the event last year, I can’ wait to come back for more,” said Suyanti.

Most running tourists usually bring their families along and extend their visit when they come to Kuala Lumpur, using the opportunity to do some shopping and visit some tourist attractions within the city or in other parts of Malaysia and Indonesian runners are no different. Both, Hizkia and Yudha, will be coming with families in tow and plan to spend at least five days in Kuala Lumpur. 

“I prefer to come with my family because we can enjoy a holiday at the same time. In fact, one of the main reasons for participating in KLSCM is so that my family and I can do some shopping and travelling,” said Hizkia.

Rainer Biemans - Director of Dirigo Events and KLSCM Project Director 02

Francis on the other hand, will be travelling with a group of runners and although he only plans to be in Kuala Lumpur for three days, he is still keen on getting some shopping done. “This is my first time for KLSCM but although I won’t be staying in Kuala Lumpur for long, I’m still keen on looking for running gear and I’m pretty excited to check out KLSCM’s Active Lifestyle Expo, where I heard you can get some pretty good deals,” he said.

Rainer Biemans - Director of Dirigo Events and KLSCM Project Director

Dirigo Events, the owners and organisers of KLSCM, are pleased that their efforts to attract more running tourists are starting to bear fruit. “In the last couple of years, we have made a conscious effort to promote our event to an international audience using targeted social media advertising and we’re delighted with the increase in these numbers for KLSCM 2024,” said Rainer Biemans, project director of KLSCM and director of Dirigo Events. “International runners tend to spend more time on vacation when they visit Kuala Lumpur and this translates to increased revenue from tourism, benefitting businesses around the city,” added Biemans.