BINTULU, April 22 (Bernama) -- The third edition of the Bintulu Marathon, scheduled for Aug 3, is gearing up to become a landmark sporting event in Malaysia, with organisers targeting a record-breaking turnout.
With a generous RM100,000 in total prize money, the marathon is drawing attention both locally and internationally, positioning itself as a premier long-distance race in Southeast Asia.
Organised by the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), the event has seen rapid growth since its inception in 2023, where it attracted 3,535 runners, before skyrocketing to 5,800 runners from 19 countries last year.
“Our ambition is to transform the Bintulu Marathon into one of the most attractive races, not just in Malaysia, but on the international stage,” said Race Director Awangku Mohd Sharifuddin Awangku Ahmad in a statement here today.
He said they are confident of surpassing that number, further cementing Bintulu’s status as a hub for international sporting events, as the growing reputation of the marathon has already lured high-calibre runners, particularly from Africa.
Awangku Mohd Sharifuddin said Kenyan athletes have dominated past editions, with Geoffrey Birgen winning the first race by clocking 2:18:05, and Denis Mugendi Kiura claiming last year’s title with a time of 2:23:07.
Top Malaysian marathoners such as Muhaizar Mohamed, Poo Vasanthan Subramaniam, Ahmad Luth Hamizan, and Haziq Hamzah have also competed in previous years, giving local fans plenty of reasons to cheer.
The 2025 marathon will feature a full marathon (42.195km), half marathon (21.1km), 10km middle-distance run, and a 6km fun run, with the prizes to be awarded across Open and Veteran categories, with top Open finishers earning RM7,000 each and Veteran winners taking home RM3,000.
To encourage local excellence, an additional RM2,000 bonus will be awarded to the fastest Malaysian male and female runners in the Open category, provided they also place in the top 10.
Prize money will be distributed among the top ten finishers in each category, making the event one of the most rewarding in the regional marathon calendar.
Those interested can visit https://www.heyjom.com/event/Bintulu-Marathon-2025 or https://cps4.me/bintulu-marathon-2025 for more information or to register for the event.
-- BERNAMA
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