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.

Min Xiang Lee smashes Trail Titans Kiara Hill 16km course record

Debutant finishes 10 minutes faster on tougher course.

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 May 2024: The second Trail Titans Kiara Hill saw the 16km course record, that was established last year, obliterated by Min Xiang Lee who finished in 2:07:20, shaving an incredible 10 minutes off the record yesterday. The previous time of 2:17: 58 was recorded by Ben Hails at the inaugural Trail Titans Kiara Hill last year.

32-year-old Xiang Lee, while being an experienced road racer, is relatively new to trail running and made his competitive debut in this event. “I usually train here at Kiara Hill which is what made me decide to take part in this Trail Titans,” said Xiang Lee. “It was a pretty challenging and technical course but I had targeted to break the course record and I’m delighted that I managed to achieve my objectives,” he continued. 

Trail Titans is a series of trail running events organised by Dirigo Events, the owner and organiser of the award-winning Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon. Over 200 participants took to the trails at Kiara Hill competing across three categories - the challenging 16km, the baseline 10km and a newly introduced 5km category. The 5km was introduced to encourage participants who are new to trail running and to get families to participate together. 

Gloria Ng, Director of Dirigo Events, was happy with the turnout and is already looking forward to the next two Trail Titans events this year. “It’s fantastic to see all these runners come out early on a Sunday morning and enjoy the day out in nature in this beautiful location so close to the city. It’s even nicer to see that some of them are out as families and this encourages and motivates us to continue with our objective of making Trail Titans a viable alternative to road running for those who are looking for something different to keep themselves fit and healthy,” said Gloria.

Most participants felt that the course this time around was more challenging than the last but that did not stop them from enjoying themselves out on the trail. Mohd. Zamri, aged 45, and his daughter Qalesya Zandra, aged 12, were all smiles as they crossed the finish line in the 5km category. “I wanted to introduce my daughter to the joys of trail running and I’m happy that she managed to complete the course without much difficulty. In fact, instead of pacing her, I ended up having to follow her for the latter part of the route,” said Zamri, who plans to introduce his younger daughter when she is age-eligible and make running a whole family affair. 

In the 16km Men’s Open, no one could keep pace with the blistering run by winner Xiang Lee, with second place going to Mior Rashidi in a time of 2:18:12 and Muhamad Syami Mohd Noh finishing third in 3:09:03. In the 16km Women’s Open, the title was clinched by Hanna Rashid in 3:04:29, while Jacqueline Koh came in second in 3:08:29 and rounding out third place was Chai Yee Ling in 3:18:22. 

In the 16km Men’s Veteran category, Yakov Kozlov also broke the course record when he finished first in a time of 2:13:47 but could not match the timing of Xiang Lee. 40-year-old Kozlov, who is a Russian engineer residing in Mont Kiara, took part to support a race in his community. “It was a tough and technical course, but even for someone who regularly runs here, the really cool thing was discovering new sections that I have not explored before,” said Kozlov. 

Muhamad Noor Mohd Pilus finished in second place in 2:30:52 and Johari Mohd Ali came in third in 2:36:44. In the 16km Women’s Veteran category, Syarifah Balqis Syed Hamzah was the winner, clocking 2:46:51, while Sook Khim Lim came in second in 2:58:48 and Francis Lyn Evasco finished in third place in 3:00:11.

In the 10km Men’s Open category, Shamirul Taufiq was the winner in 01:17:46 while Lim Wei Seng took second place in 01:17:50 and Jia Qing Lim finished third in 01:26:45. 

In the Women’s 10km Open category, Vithya Vijayakumare finished first in a time of 01:45:41, followed by Lena Jaentsch in second place at a recorded 01:48:01 and third place fell to Joeann Too, who finished in a time of 1:50:38. Vithya, aged 38, who hails from Cameron Highlands but currently resides in Perth, was fortunate to be able to participate in the event as the date coincided with her travel plans back to Malaysia. 

“I do sometimes come back to Malaysia to take part in events here and Trail Titans was a happy coincidence as the timing was right,” said Vithya. “The route was demanding but I didn’t expect anything less and I’m happy with my performance and results,” she added.

Kian Kok New was the champion in the 10km Men’s Veteran category when he finished in 1:23:46. Taking second place was Kwok Yee Ngooi in 1:25:34 and finishing in third was Liang Shih Wong in 1:28:33. In the 10km Women’s Veteran category, Hui Thin Sea bagged first place in 01:39:23, while Cheryl Godfrey finished second in 1:44:12 and Chau Yan Tan came in third at 2:00:15.

The top three finishers in all categories received winners’ medals and cash prizes while the top five finishers in all categories were rewarded with free entry into the next Trail Titans event. Xiang Lee received an additional cash prize of RM500 for his record-breaking achievement.

Dirigo Events are expected to announce the next edition in their Trail Titans series very soon so stay tuned to their social media channels to be the first to sign up for what is expected to be a sought-after series of events.

Start of the Trail

Runner enjoying the trails

Runners navigating a technically demanding descent

Father and daughter duo, Mohd Zamri and Qalesya Zandra

Runner enjoying the refreshments at a water station

Jibek, the most famous cat in the running community, with owner Apak

Gloria Ng with Min Xiang Lee, winner of 16km Men's Open and course record-breaker

Gloria Ng with Yakov Kozlov, winner of 16km Men's Veteran

Gloria Ng, Director of Dirigo Events with Vithya Vijayakumare, winner of 10km Women's Open

Top 5 finishers

Lending a helping hand

Happy Finishers

Leap of Joy at completing Trail Titans Kiara Hill 2024!

Four-way Tussle For Malaysian Marathon Crown at KLSCM 2023

15^th Edition Set To Be A Milestone Sustainable Road Race

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 September 2023: The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2023 will set the stage for an intense battle between Malaysia’s top distance running athletes to lay claim to the Full Marathon Malaysian category title.  Over 40,000 participants will take to Dataran Merdeka throughout the weekend of 30 September and 1 October to take part in this iconic event with its newly minted status as the only race in Malaysia recognised by governing body World Athletics with a Road Race Label.

The 15th edition of KLSCM is expected to see a heated contest in the Men’s Full Marathon Malaysian category with four national runners competing for the coveted crown. Defending champion Poo Vasanthan will be hard pressed to cling on to his title as he faces stiff competition from five-time KLSCM champion in the category, Muhaizar Mohamad, national marathon record-holder Leo Tan Huong Leong and national half marathon record-holder Prabudass Krishnan, who will be making his debut in the category at KLSCM. The Full Marathon route this year is similar to the last edition in 2022, incorporating a flatter course compared to previous years, which allows for faster finishing times and a more exciting contest.

“I expect a tough race against these more established runners and I need to make sure that I follow my race strategy down to the last detail if I am to defend my title,” said Poo Vasanthan. “Whatever happens, it is still a privilege to be competing against these runners in an internationally recognised event like KLSCM and I am looking forward to an exciting challenge.”

Dirigo Events, the owner and organiser of the multi-award-winning event, is thrilled that these four runners are competing against each other for the first time at the event. “We are anticipating an intense battle between these runners. Two of them have won the category before and the other two are national record holders. I think it will come down to the conditions on the day and how well each of them executes their game plan,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events.

The 15th edition of KLSCM will be the starting point in its sustainability journey and a number of measures will be introduced to make the event more environmentally-friendly. Mass participation events have high resource consumption and being the largest distance running event in the country, the KLSCM organisers want to take the lead in making these events more sustainable moving forward.

“We are excited to be embarking on this journey towards sustainability and we hope the running community will support us, as they always have, in reducing our environmental impact and contributing towards a circular economy that minimises waste,” said Rainer Biemans. “In order for us to operate in the long-term, we have a duty to ensure that our event mitigates our carbon footprint to preserve the environment for future generations,” added Rainer.

Being title sponsor for the 15th year, Standard Chartered Malaysia is also a firm believer in the importance of making KLSCM, the premier distance running event in Malaysia, an eco-friendly race by harnessing the power of the marathon to effect positive societal change.

"In alignment with the Bank’s own commitment towards our sustainability agenda, we are pleased that the organisers of KLSCM are taking proactive steps to ensure that the event becomes more eco-conscious as we progress," said Mak Joon Nien, CEO of Standard Chartered Malaysia. “KLSCM affects a wide audience, and this is a great opportunity to raise awareness on how critical it is to be more mindful of our own actions and encourage the community to make informed decisions in reducing our environmental impact,” he added.

One of the key measures that will be introduced this year is the reduction in the use of paper drinking cups for runners as all water stations will have refillable options and runners will be encouraged to bring their own cups or bottles to refill as they progress on their routes. To promote this, organisers have been selling KLSCM collectibles in the form of lightweight, collapsible cups and bottles for runners to purchase and use during this race and others that they may be participating in. The organisers also plan to compost close to 3.5 tonnes of organic waste generated from the enormous amounts of fruits, such as bananas, apples and pears, that are provided to runners during and after the race.

The selection of official apparel partner of KLSCM, UK brand Pressio, was also a conscious decision as this high-performance sports brand is a champion of sustainability as all the garments they produce have been created with the most sustainable materials and technologies, including recycled yarns, non-dying & biodegradation, and complete with traceability. In fact, 90% of the brand’s garments are produced in a solar-powered high-tech factory in Johor. Other measures include the elimination of single use plastics for running bibs and medals, and the continuation of providing free public transport for participants to get to the race and back, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from private cars.

On a more heart-warming note, the 15th anniversary of KLSCM will see the return of the Kids Dash categories after its exclusion from last year’s event due to health and safety concerns. The two categories contested, 1km and 2km, will see kids take centre stage on Saturday, 30 September in a looped circuit in the vicinity of Dataran Merdeka. The Kids Dash is a great spectacle and a fantastic introduction to the competitive world of running for kids, who will have the honour of racing at the historic location, watched by their friends and families.

In celebrating its 15th year, KLSCM will be honouring some of its most loyal participants with Golden Bibs. These exclusive running Bibs will be presented to participants who have finished Full Marathons in 10 prior editions and is a symbol of gratitude from the organisers, as well as recognition of the distinguished status of these runners. A total of 44 participants will be bestowed this accolade, which also brings other special privileges like VIP access to the Standard Chartered Hospitality marquee and express lanes during the event’s Race Entry Pack Collection.

This year also sees the inclusion of two new beneficiaries in KLSCM’s Run For A Reason (RFAR) charity initiative, namely Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK), who serve and provide aid to marginalised communities and the urban poor, and Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), an NGO who monitors the marine health of coral reefs around Malaysia to ensure their sustainability. They are joined by returning beneficiaries Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, Hospis Malaysia and Dignity for Children Foundation. The RFAR platform allows runners to sign up for the charity of their choice and proceed to raise funds for them by encouraging friends and family to donate to their profile through the KLSCM website. Fundraising closes on 9 October, a little over a week after the event, so there’s still ample time to make a donation to your favourite charity by heading on to

https://www.kl-marathon.com/charity/run-for-a-reason/runners-profile/2023/

Apart from title sponsor Standard Chartered Malaysia, KLSCM 2023 will also see the return of Gold Sponsor Boost Juice Malaysia, and official partners Seiko, Brooks, 100 Plus, and TudungPeople, along with new partners Pressio and Tiger Balm. The event is also supported by venue host DBKL, athletics associations MAF and FTKLAA, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Police.

For more information and updates on KLSCM, please visit:

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/SCKLmarathon

Twitter : www.twitter.com/SCKLmarathon

Instagram : https://instagram.com/SCKLmarathon

Website : www.kl-marathon.com

For more information, please contact: 

Suthan Narayanan | 03.7621.7787 | suthan@dirigo.com.my

Gloria Ng | 603.7621.7787 | gloria.ng@dirigo.com.my 

Full Marathon start at KLSCM 2022

Full Marathon flag off at KLSCM 2022 

Rainer Biemans _ Gloria Ng, Directors of Dirigo Events

Poo Vasanthan crossing the finish line in KLSCM 2022

Running against the backdrop of the Petronas Twin Towers

Banana station on route

Runners collecting their medals, fruits and drinks

Runners' Entitlements - Medals, bananas, apples, pears and drinks

Running in traditional costume and carrying the Malaysian flag

Trail Runners Give Thumbs Up to Inaugural Trail Titans Event at Kiara Hills

 

16km Men’s Veteran Category L-R  Gloria Ng (Director of Dirigo Events), Juangti Wan Leong (3rd), Ben Hails (1st) and Edward Smith (2nd)

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Aug 2023: The inaugural Trail Titans event, presented by Dirigo Events, owner and organiser of the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon, got the seal of approval from participants after they competed in two distance categories at Kiara Hills yesterday. The 16km and 10km distances were keenly contested by over 450 enthusiastic trail runners in what is expected to be the first in a series of trail running events by the esteemed organiser.

In an interesting turn of events, both Men’s distance categories saw Veteran runners come out on top overall, comfortably beating their younger competitors. In fact, the top five positions in the 16km distance were taken by veteran runners. Ben Hails ran a blistering pace to bag the coveted maiden 16km distance title, although he was competing in the Men’s Veteran category, in a time of 02:17:58. Edward Smith came in second in 02:24:51 and Juangti Wan Leong clocked in at 02:27:36 to place third. 

In the 16km Men’s Open category, Teh Kenji clinched first place by clocking in at 02:38:55, while Cian Hulm placed second in a time of 02:53:11, and Alex Fanning rounded up the podium places by finishing third in 02:53:12. 

In the Women’s 16km Open category, Karen Siah took first place in 02:43:49, followed by Priscilla Wong who finished second in 03:08:39 and finishing in third place was Analiza Marcos in a time of 03:29:47. In the Women’s 16km Veteran category, Sook Khim Lim clinched first place in 02:53:28, Francis Lyn Evasco finished in second place in 02:53:46 while Melinda Wang came in third in a time of 03:02:34.

10km Men’s Veteran Category L-R  Gloria Ng, Saw Pook Keong (3rd), Muhammad Asdi (1st) and Kian Kok New (3rd)

In the 10km Men’s category, veteran runner Muhammad Asdi was the overall winner in 01:12:21 while another veteran Kian Kok New took second place in 01:19:22 and Lim Wei Sing finished third in 01:21:03, while placing first in the 10km Men’s Open category. Kaha Sufyan came in second in the Men’s 10km Open category in 01:38:28 while Jerry Chow came in third in 01:47:12.

10km Women’s Veteran L-R  Gloria Ng, Low Guat Peng (3rd), Harum Delima Mohd Noor (1st) and Lynn Ismail (2nd)

In the Women’s 10km Open category, Mei Wai Tan finished first in a time of 01:46:47, followed by Norkhasidah Hamzah in second place at a recorded 01:51:37 and third place fell to Farah Nur Ain Abdul Latif, who finished in a time of 02:16:38. In the 10km Women’s Veteran category, Harum Delima Mohd Noor bagged first place in 01:47:15, while Lynn Ismail finished second in 02:03:46 and Guatpeng Low came in third at 02:07:23.

16km Women’s Veteran L-R  Gloria Ng, Melinda Wang (3rd), Sook Khim Lim (1st) and Francis Lyn Evasco (2nd)

The top three finishers in all categories received winners’ medals and prizes while the top five finishers in all categories were rewarded with free entry into the next Trail Titans event. 

16km Men’s Open L-R  Gloria Ng, Alex Fanning (3rd), Teh Kenji (1st) and Cian Hulm (2nd)

10km Men’s Open L-R  Gloria Ng, Jerry Chow (3rd), Lim Weiseng (1st) and Kahar Sufyan (2nd)

10km Women’s Open L-R  Gloria Ng, Farah Nur Ain Abdul Latif (3rd), Mei Wai Tan (1st) and Norkhasidah Hamzah (2nd)

16km Women’s Open L-R  Gloria Ng, Analiza Marcos (3rd), Karen Siah (1st) and Priscilla Wong (2nd)

Runners tackling the trails

“We want to establish Trail Titans as a brand for runners who are looking for an alternative to road races and we want to build the brand from a grassroots level,” said Gloria Ng, Director of Dirigo Events. “We hope Trail Titans will encourage emerging trail runners to embrace the unique challenges of trail running and enjoy the beautiful scenes of nature while doing it. Kiara Hills is an excellent location for our first event as it is in close proximity to the city but still affords participants the experience of being within nature and amidst breathtaking vistas of the surrounding areas,” she added.

Abdul Haris Shariff

Seasoned trail runner Abdul Haris Shariff, who came all the way from Sungai Petani to participate, was impressed with the organisation of the event, as well as with the meticulously crafted routes. “I’ve taken part in a number of trail running events over the years and I have to say that Trail Titans is one of the better organised events I have participated in,” said Haris. “Everything was well executed, from water stations and the availability of medical personnel to the well-planned routes that were moderate in difficulty but still provided a stiff challenge to regular trail runners like me,” he added.

Karen Siah descending the trails

The scenic beauty of the location was also appreciated by participants who loved the idea of trail running within the city. Karen Siah, who won the 16km Women’s Open title, was one such participant. “It’s amazing that you can enjoy this tranquil setting just a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city. Communing with nature while you indulge in your favourite pastime of running is for me, a dream come true and I will definitely be back for future editions,” she said.

Dirigo Events are expected to announce the next edition in their Trail Titans series very soon so stay tuned to their social media channels to be the first to sign up for what is expected to be a sought-after series of events.