More than 34,000 runners converged on Dataran Merdeka to take part in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2022. The 12th edition of the premier distance running event in the country made a triumphant return after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The event saw the Full Marathon course record smashed by Moses Kiptoo Kurgat from Kenya in a time of 02:11:04, breaking the previous mark by more than three minutes. The Full Marathon Women’s Open was won by another first-time KLSCM participant from Kenya when Shelmith Nyawira Muriuki won the race in a time of 2:44:16. Both Kenyans took home USD17,500 each.
Kiprop Tonui from Kenya came in second in the Full Marathon Men’s Open with a time of 2:15:23 while Ngare Joseph Mwangi from Kenya finished third in a time of 2:16:06.
In the Full Marathon Women’s Open, Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang from Kenya took second place in a time of 2:45:15 and Eunice Nyawira Muchiri from Kenya had to settle for third place with a time of 2:49:00.
Five-time KLSCM champion Muhaizar Mohamad, unfortunately, failed to defend his title for the sixth consecutive time as Poo Vasanthan raced into a lead towards the end to bag his first KLSCM Full Marathon Malaysian Men’s title. Poo finished in a time of 2:37:56 while Muhaizar finished in 2:38:13 and Mohamad Helmi Azri bin Suhaimi came in third in a time of 2:40:03.
The Full Marathon Malaysian Women’s category saw Noor Amelia binti Musa win her maiden KLSCM Full Marathon in a time of 3:13:59 while Tahira Najmunisaa bt Muhammad Zaid clocked 3:17:01 to come in second and Chua Khit Yeng got third place in a time of 3:24:40.
The community element is a significant factor at KLSCM where funds are raised through its CSR program Run For A Reason (RFAR), to aid deserving organizations. Every year between four and five organizations are selected for runners to raise funds for and this year, the shortlisted charities are Standard Chartered’s Futuremakers, Dignity for Children Foundation, the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Hospis Malaysia, and Teach for Malaysia.
At the end of the event, a relatively new tradition that began with the 10th Anniversary celebrations of KLSCM in 2018, saw runners, officials and others gathered at the Finish Line to cheer and provide moral support to the last runners to finish within the check-out time of 7:15 hours.
In a heartwarming and inspirational show of support, these runners who had given their all to finish the race were given a celebratory finish, complete with confetti blasts to help push them over the finish line within the required time.
KLSCM is sanctioned and supported by the Malaysia Athletics Federation (MAF), Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Athletic Federation (FTKLAA), World Athletics and the Association of International Marathons, Distance Races (AIMS).
