Estonia’s Siim-Erik Alamaa and Great Britain’s Sally Potter emerged as the overall male and female champions at the 10th edition of IRONMAN Malaysia in Langkawi on Saturday, marking a milestone year for one of Asia’s flagship long-distance triathlon events.

The landmark race drew 1,888 athletes from 66 nations who tested themselves in the full-distance IRONMAN Malaysia (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km run) and the IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi (1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, 21.1 km run). Under relentless tropical heat, competitors once again showed why Langkawi has earned its reputation as one of the region’s premier endurance destinations.

Alamaa, a former national cyclist, conquered the gruelling course in 9:08:39, ahead of Germany’s Jan Seewald (9:20:16) and Australia’s Aiden Cuff (9:27:27).

“It’s unbelievable. This was only my second full IRONMAN, my first was in August, so I really didn’t expect to win. The last few weeks before the race were quite tough with training and personal challenges, so I came here just wanting to do my best. To cross the line first is something I’ll need time to process,” said Alamaa.

“I started triathlon with the dream of qualifying for Kona, and I thought Langkawi would be the perfect place, both to try and qualify and to experience similar conditions. The heat and humidity here are no joke. Having survived this, I now know what Kona will feel like.

“My wife was by the course giving me time splits. I caught the leader around the 100 km mark on the bike, but soon after I was alone. The last 50 km were brutal, and on the run I just kept telling myself, ‘one foot in front of the other, don’t walk.’ The last 20 km felt endless, but I somehow managed to hang on.

“My wife Lizzie and I are both from cycling backgrounds. She qualified for Kona before me, and seeing her race there inspired me to give it a shot. Today’s result is as much hers as mine. She’s my support crew, my timekeeper, and my biggest motivation.”

In the women’s field, Great Britain’s Sally Potter produced a determined display to capture her first-ever IRONMAN title.

“It’s my second IRONMAN this year after Cairns, and I actually decided to come to Langkawi at the last minute. I wanted a break after Cairns, but when I saw this race, I thought, why not? I’m absolutely stoked. I didn’t know how I was going to cope with the heat, but I’m glad I managed to hold on,” said Potter.

“I really suffered at around the 28 km mark on the run. I had to stop and reset, but somehow managed to hang on till the finish. It’s my first IRONMAN win. I was fifth in Cairns earlier this year, so this one feels really special.

“I’ve done four IRONMAN 70.3 races and finished top five in most of them, including third at the Sunshine Coast last year. It’s amazing to see all the work finally pay off.”

The IRONMAN Malaysia continues to attract world-class competitors while symbolising Langkawi’s resilience and appeal as a sports-tourism destination.

Revived in 2014 after a hiatus, the race has grown into one of Asia’s most respected fixtures on the IRONMAN calendar.

The milestone weekend also featured the IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi, half the distance but equally punishing, where professionals Australia’s Josh Ferris and Switzerland’s Julie Derron claimed the fastest male and female honours respectively.

Ferris crossed the line in 3:46:56, ahead of Denmark’s Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen (3:50:25) and Canada’s Tyler Mislawchuk (3:55:30).

“The last 10 kilometres of the run were brutal,” he said. “I rode quite hard today because that’s where I thought the gaps could open up, especially with the heat and the hills. But I paid for it later. That last section was all about mental strength. You’re out near the airport, no shade, no crowd, just the sun beating down. It’s lonely out there.”

“A hundred per cent. If you guys invite me back, I’ll definitely be here,” he added.

Derron, the Paris Olympic silver medallist, clocked 4:13:52, followed by Australia’s Natalie van Coevorden (4:18:11) and France’s Justine Guerard (4:22:17).

“The swim was nice and smooth but the bike was tough. There are some really punchy hills, especially towards the end when you’re already tired. Then the run, it just drags on. The stretch near the airport feels endless, and with the heat it really creeps up on you. You have to manage your effort and stay mentally strong.”

Her pistol-shaped earrings, a lucky charm from coach Brett Sutton, glinted in the sunlight.

“He said they’d bring good luck,” she smiled. “So far, they haven’t missed.”

Malaysia’s Muhd Hafiz Md Yusup was the fastest local male finisher in the IRONMAN Malaysia, clocking 10:52:01, while Ho Lee Wan topped the Malaysian female category in 13:28:08.

“It’s my sixth full IRONMAN, and I’ve managed to finish every one of them, but this is the first time I’ve emerged as the fastest Malaysian, so I’m really happy,” said Hafiz, 38. “I was actually sick before the race with influenza and only had three days of preparation after five days of rest. Despite that, I still achieved this. This is definitely my year.”

A radiographer at a government health clinic, Hafiz trains around his full-time job, often starting sessions at 5 am before work and continuing on weekends. A consistent performer, he has been among the top three Malaysians in previous editions (2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024) despite once suffering a broken collarbone. “I just didn’t stop. I kept going, and I’m glad it finally paid off.”

Several public figures were also among the finishers. Former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, making his second IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi appearance, his first since 2019, remarkably completed the race just under the cut-off mark of 8 hours 30 minutes, clocking 8:25:33.

Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, 32, went the full distance in the 226 km IRONMAN Malaysia, clocking 12:22:18, a significant improvement on last year’s 13:13:39. He had set a target of finishing under 13 hours as part of a personal challenge to raise RM1 million in contributions for community initiatives in his constituency Muar, a goal he successfully achieved.

Earlier on Friday, more than 300 children joined the IRONKIDS Langkawi aquathlon and fun-run events, adding youthful energy to the race weekend. Among them were the children of actress-singer Bella Astillah, who enrolled her son Ayden Adrean, 9, and daughter Ara Adreanna, 6, for the IRONKIDS events.

Both IRONMAN Malaysia and IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi served as qualifiers for the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, and the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France, offering a combined 75 qualification slots.

Ten editions on, IRONMAN Malaysia remains a true test of human endurance, an event that has weathered challenges, pauses and comebacks, yet continues to define what it means to go the distance in Langkawi.