The final event of the 2024 Asia Trail Master Championship (ATM) season is scheduled to held near the world heritage site of Mount Kinabalu on September 14th.
This marks the second time the ATM final will be held in Malaysia, following the inaugural race in 2019, coinciding with the Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival in Taiping, Perak.
John Ellis and Veronika Vadovicova crowned themselves as the last champions before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The final race will be hosted by the renowned and beloved “The Most Beautiful Thing” (TMBT) Ultra event in Sabah.
While most of the trails are runnable, there are sections of jungle trails that present challenges.
For many participants, the primary obstacle will likely be the heat and humidity of the region.
Each Asian country can nominate up to five male and five female runners with the highest points to participate in the final race.
To qualify, each nominee must have completed a minimum of two ATM races.
Currently, Malaysians listed in the top ATM points ranking include Milton Amat, Wilsen Singgin, Shamiera Auther, and Rejlen James.
TMBT also offers traditional distances including 100km, 50km, 30km, 37km Night Run, 12km, and 7.5km family runs for the general public.
Since COVID-19, runners must earn ATM points to qualify for the Championship Final. Each Asian country can nominate up to five male and five female runners based on points. A minimum of 2 ATM race finishes is required.
Reigning Champions are John Ray Onifa (Philippines) and Rashila Tamang (Nepal), set to defend their titles at TMBT. Defending team champion is Team Philippines, with Malaysia last holding the title in 2022.
