Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 30 September 2023 – The 15th edition of the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) kicked off on Saturday with the 5km, Boost Juice 10km and Kids Dash categories. The Half and Full Marathons will be contested on the second day of the festive weekend of running, which has earned the event a coveted Road Race Label from World Athletics, making it the only event in the country with that status.
Dataran Merdeka, the historical home of KLSCM, is expected to receive more than 40,000 runners over the two days, from all parts of Malaysia and around the world.
Kenyan runners dominate Boost Juice 10km
KLSCM debutant Elkanah Arusey from Kenya clinched the win in the Men’s Open category of the Boost Juice 10km in a time of 32:23. “Although I didn’t expect it, I planned my race strategy with the intention of winning and I’m happy with the result and my timing,” said Elkanah. “The route was flat and fast, and well organised so I hope to come back again next year and maybe take part in the Half Marathon, which is my preferred distance,” he added.
Coming in second place was Wong Yize from Malaysia who clocked in at 34:30 and Azwan Bunjing, also from Malaysia, finished third in 35:19.
Kenyan runners dominate Boost Juice 10km at KLSCM 2023
In the Women’s Open category, Njoroge Alice Kabura from Kenya won the event in a time of 40:44, while Chan Ann Sze from Malaysia took second place in 42:44 and Nurul Juliana Shakira Abdul Halim, also from Malaysia, came in third clocking 43:00.
Kids Dash returns with a bang
The highlight of the first day was the return of the Kids Dash categories after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are delighted to be able to bring back the 1km and 2km Kids Dash categories this year as the event has missed the infectious energy that these kids bring,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and director of Dirigo Events, the owner and organiser of KLSCM. “It’s a great day out for the whole family and truly heartwarming to see all these excited children get a taste of racing around the historic Dataran Merdeka,” he added.
New entry into Malaysia Book of Records
While no records fell on the first day, a new entry did make it into the Malaysia Book of Records when radio and TV celebrity Ram, formerly a host on THR Raaga, completed the longest distance covered while DJing non-stop when he took part in the Boost Juice 10km.
Four-way Tussle For Malaysian Marathon Crown at Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2023
“When I signed up to run the Boost Juice 10km in support of Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK), I wanted to try to bring attention to my fundraising by doing something extraordinary”, said Ram. “I’m grateful to Boost Juice for supporting this idea but I started to have doubts once we built the cart for the equipment as it ended up being fairly heavy. I’m thrilled that I managed to complete the run within the cut-off time and set a new entry in the Malaysia Book of Records in the process but more importantly, I hope this effort drives more donations to my fundraising profile to help KSK continue their amazing work in providing aid to marginalised communities,” he added.
KLSCM continues to grow and evolve
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.
The 15th edition of the event is once again sponsored by Title Sponsor Standard Chartered Malaysia, along with Boost Juice, Pressio, 100 Plus, Brooks, Seiko, TudungPeople and Tiger Balm. The 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.
