Kuala Lumpur, 17 July 2023 – Kuala Lumpur witnessed an extraordinary display of enthusiasm, community spirit, and camaraderie as the Malaysian leg of the inaugural multi-country Lazada Run unfolded. A crowd of 8,000 Malaysians from diverse backgrounds came together to participate in this exciting event, eagerly taking on the 5km, 10km, and 21km race routes of their choice.
The Lazada Run kicked off in Cyberjaya with the 21km race, which started at 5:00 am. Following that, an energetic Zumba warm-up session prepared the 10km and 5km runners, who began their races at 6:45 am and 7:15 am respectively. As the runners pushed themselves to the limit, the Lazada race village buzzed with activity. Spectators and families explored a wide array of food trucks, enjoyed the Brand Experiential Zones, and indulged in complimentary goodies from the event’s dedicated booths.
Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Hannah Yeoh, had the honour of flagging off a special 1km route, which featured the inspiring participation of 40 para-athletes representing the major disability categories in Paralympic Sports. The crowd at the event cheered with tremendous enthusiasm, offering their wholehearted encouragement.
One of the highlights of the Lazada Run was the presentation of an in-kind donation of RM50,000 by Alan Chan, the Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Malaysia, to Dato’ Sri Megat D. Shahriman, the President of the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM). This significant contribution, witnessed by YB Hannah Yeoh, supports the TambahEMAS crowd-funding initiative and PCM’s mission to train and prepare para-athletes for the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Additionally, the donation will facilitate PCM’s efforts to organize more outreach initiatives for the disabled community.
Alan Chan, Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Malaysia, expressed his delight with the success of the Lazada Run. He emphasized Lazada’s commitment to engaging Malaysian youth in fitness activities while promoting sports inclusivity for all. The enthusiastic participation of Malaysians from all walks of life, joining together with friends and family for a healthy and enjoyable recreational activity, was truly heartening.
Dato’ Sri Megat D. Shahriman, President of PCM, acknowledged the Lazada Run as a powerful demonstration of inclusivity and community upliftment. He emphasized the importance of sports and fitness being accessible to everyone, expressing gratitude for organizations like Lazada that raise awareness and provide support for para-athletes. Dato’ Sri Megat hopes for continued support to empower and enable Malaysia’s talented para-athletes who continue to bring honour to the country in the sporting arena.
The Lazada Run is an regional running event organized by an eCommerce platform. It encompasses six Southeast Asian cities, including Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. The race winners from the five cities where the run has already concluded will travel to Singapore for the final event, scheduled to flag off on 23 July 2023.
In Malaysia, the first and second place finishers of the 21km race, namely Poo Vasanthan Subramaniam, Nik Fakaruddin Ismail, Noor Amelia Musa, and Lee Shi Fing, along with the first place winners of the 10km race, Mohamad Shahrin Che Abdullah and Chua Khit Yeng, will represent the country in Singapore. They will compete against participants from other regions for the opportunity to win USD3,500 (estimated at RM16,000). Additionally, the top five winners of both the 21km and 10km races received cash vouchers totalling up to RM21,200. All participants who successfully completed the half-marathon were awarded an exclusive 21km race medal and a finisher tee.
