After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) returned in full force last weekend on 13 and 14 November 2022.
A two-day format
The race took on a two-day format with the 5km and Boost Juice 10km categories on Saturday 12th and the Half and Full Marathons on Sunday 13th.
Altogether, the event made a triumphant return, attracting more than 34,000 runners over the two days of running.
Said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events, the organisers of the race, “We are delighted to finally be able to hold KLSCM physically after having to resort to a virtual event in the past two years. We are extremely grateful for the strong support of the running community.”
A new marathon course record
And to mark the return of the physical KLSCM event, 2022 saw the marathon course record broken by more than three minutes on Sunday by Kenya’s Moses Kiptoo Kurgat’s 2:11:04 effort.
Said Moses, “I was concerned about the humidity at first but I managed to finish strongly and was pleasantly surprised to also break the KLSCM full marathon course record in my first attempt.”
Second and third place also saw Kenyans sweeping the podium.
Kiprop Tonui placed second with 2:15:23 and Ngare Joseph Mwangi came third with 2:16:06.
The Women’s Open was won by Kenya’s Shelmith Nyawira Muriuku, another first timer, who clocked 2:44:16.
Said Shelmith, “I was not expecting to win because there were many strong runners.”
Photo: KLSCM
Her fellow countrywomen Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang came second in 2:45:15 and Eunice Nyawira Muchiri came third finishing in 2:49:00.
Both Moses and Shelmith took home USD 17,500 each for their efforts.
Full Marathon Malaysian
In the Full Marathon Malaysian Men’s category, young upstart Poo Vasanthan outran six-time champion Muhaizar Mohamad in a time of 2:37:56. Muhaizar placed second in 2:38:13 and Mohamad Helmi Azri bin Sulhaimi came third in 2:40:03.
Noor Amelia binti Musa won her maiden KLSCM Full Marathon when she clinched the Malaysian Women’s title in 3:13:59 and Tahira Najmuniasa bt Muhammad Zaid came second with 3:17:01. Chua Khit Yeng got third place in 3:24:40.
Half Marathon
Photo: KLSCM
In the Half Marathon Men’s Open category, James N. Kahura of Kenya clocked a time of 1:07:45 to clinch victory.
His colleague and fellow Kenyan Rosemary Mumo Katua clinched the women’s title in 1:18:03.
Boost Juice 10km
Photo: KLSCM
Meanwhile on Saturday, this year had marked the first time that the 10km category was flagged off on the first day of proceedings and taking place at the Main Arch at Dataran Merdeka.
Previous editions had featured the 10km event flag off at the Sogo Department Store on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman when KLSCM was a one-day event.
As well, brand new sponsor, Boost Juice, an Australian smoothie and juice brand which has become popular in Southeast Asia, became a Gold Label sponsor, thus giving them naming rights for the 10km category, which became known as the Boost Juice 10km.
Said Nick Tiernan, CEO and owner of Boost Juice Southeast Asia, “Our smoothies and juices are great for athletes and sportspeople who need a boost to fuel their respective sporting pursuits. We hope that this is the beginning of a fruitful collaboration.”
Kenya’s Lel Kipchirchir took the 10km win in 32:27 while Malaysia’s Mohamad Shahrin bin Che Abdullah came second in 34:21. Coming in third was Malaysian Azwan Bunjing in 34:50.
Malaysian Tan Li Jun won the Women’s Open in 43:11 is Maryati binti Mohamad, also Malaysian, came second in 43:37 while Singapore’s Daphne Lim Cai Qin finished third in 43:46.
5km Speed
Winning the 5km Speed category, a new category which was introduced in KLSCM 2019 and maintained for this year, was Danil Hakim Mohd Daud from Malaysia in 20:32 with Muhammad Hamizan Darulhisham, also Malaysian, coming second in 22:42. Rounding off the podium was Jefri Dwi Yulian from Indonesia in 27:40.
Liza Toeman from the Netherlands won the 5km Women’s Open in 29:53 while Yeoh Kar Wuen from Malaysia came second with 33:39. Third place went to Norsyuhadah binti Maskan with 36:03.
Said Mark Joon Nien, title sponsor Standard Chartered Malaysia’s new CEO, who took part in his first 10km run this year, “I’ve attended KLSCM in the past and have always been amazed at the coming together of runners from all walks of life, Malaysians and from around the world. We are very proud to be the title sponsor for the 12th year running and what’s most important for events like this is that it touched the lives of so many in positive ways.”
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