20th October, 2023 (Putrajaya, Wilayah Persekutuan) -- Malaysia Towerrunning Association (MTA), the esteemed governing body of the stairclimbing sport in the nation, triumphantly hosted its inaugural event at Menara KBS on October 14th. With the sport's burgeoning popularity, this event provided a unique opportunity for participants to test their mettle, conquering a gruelling yet rewarding 17 floors within the iconic Menara KBS.
Participants were treated to a memorable experience, all made possible by the generous support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Each participant's entry fee included a host of benefits, such as a limited-edition event T-shirt designed by KL Sketch Nation, a bib, a timing chip, and annual accident coverage. The affordability of the event was a result of the Ministry's commitment to encouraging everyone to embrace the challenge of physical fitness.
Flag-Off by YB Hannah Yeoh, Ministry of Youth & Sports
Larian Menara KBS kickstarted at 9:00am by YB Hannah Yeoh, Ministry of Youth and Sports, adding a touch of distinction to the occasion. Over 50 elite towerrunners stormed up the building and complete the 17-floor run in less than three minutes. Notably, Fabio Ruga, a globally recognized world towerrunning ranking 5th male athletes, travelled to Malaysia to compete and secured the first position with an impressive time of 2:05 mins. Followed closely, by Malaysia’s own young towerrunning prodigy, Muhammad Hazim Zuhairi finished 2nd with a time of 2:10 mins. Similarly, Michelle Bee Kiang Tan, a fellow Malaysian, clinched the top spot in the female category, completing the race in 2:55 mins, showcasing remarkable achievements in this prestigious competition. Michelle is our top ranking female towerrunner, ranked 14th by Towerrunning World Association.
The past few years have seen the towerrunning sport gain immense popularity, attracting athletes and fitness enthusiasts from all over the world who are eager to push their limits race up some of the tallest and most iconic skyscrapers. Malaysia has also produced our very own top athlete – Soh Wai Ching, the world’s No.1 towerrunner sees this opportunity as a great way to introduce an easily accessible sport to Malaysians. He started towerrunning in 2017 and does not seem to be stopping anytime soon.
Exclusive Sports Group Personal Accident Plan
In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Malaysia Towerrunning Association partnered with Pacific Insurance Berhad and insurtech player aQme, to offer an annual personal accident protection plan to all participants, instead of the usual micro-insurance that protects participants for a few hours . This move prioritizes the safety of both athletes and enthusiasts, throughout their training hours in the coming year. This initiative showcases our commitment to a secure and inclusive environment for all participants.
Towerrunning, a “hot sport”
The past few years have seen the towerrunning sport gain immense popularity, attracting athletes and fitness enthusiasts from all over the world who are eager to push their limits race up some of the tallest and most iconic skyscrapers. Malaysia has also produced our very own top athlete – Soh Wai Ching, who is now World No.1, and also the founder of Malaysia Towerrunning Association (MTA). Soh was not present on the day of Larian Menara KBS as he participated the Taipei 101 Run Up 2023, and won the challenge by completing the 91-floor race in 11:40 mins.
MTA, the governing body of the sport is actively working with the Ministry of Youth & Sports, and several city councils in Selangor to organize more events. One is the weekly workshop and training session free to the public at Menara MBPJ, every Saturday from 5:30-7:00pm. If you would like to find out more about this and future events, follow MTA’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MalaysiaTowerrunningAssociation .
