Kenyan long-distance runner Ezekiel Kemboi dramatically outpaced defending champion John Nzau Mwangangi to claim the Men’s Open Full Marathon title at the 18th Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) on Sunday. Meanwhile, local elites Yeow Ni Jia and debutant Esther Joy Chen Hong Li captured the Malaysian crowns, taking crucial steps toward qualification for the 2027 SEA Games.

Kemboi, returning to the KLSCM for the first time since 2023, clinched the gold and the US$15,000 prize purse with a time of 2:21:19. Mwangangi followed just seconds later to take silver at 2:21:27, while Moses Kibet Kipsang completed the podium at 2:21:32. Kemboi, who noted that he approached the race without a rigid strategy, attributed his success to training in Eldoret, Kenya, which mirrors Malaysia’s famously hot and humid conditions.

The stakes were exceptionally high in the Malaysian categories, which served as the official preliminary selection event for the 2027 SEA Games marathon. Defending champion Yeow Ni Jia rose to the occasion, crossing the finish line with a local personal best of 2:33:52 to secure the top spot. He outpaced Lai Yi Hng (2:34:16) and national record holder Tan Huong Leong (2:39:17). “My goal was to secure a podium spot as well as make the SEA Games longlist and of course, defend the title,” said the 26-year-old Yeow, noting that the highly competitive field pushed him to his new personal record.

In the Women’s Open, Ethiopia’s Alemitu Ajema Lema secured the championship with a time of 2:39:29, finishing ahead of Kenyan runners Lucy Nthenya Ndambuki (2:39:59) and Caroline Cheptonui Kilel (2:40:17).

The Malaysian Women’s category saw a stunning performance from 22-year-old Esther Joy Chen Hong Li, who broke the tape at 3:05:22 to win the title in her first-ever full marathon. Chen confidently bested Elaine Koon (3:12:43) and Lai Wei Ling (3:14:37). “My coach adapted my training for a marathon block and our strategy was to go big or go home,” Chen shared, adding that the SEA Games selection process motivated her to attempt the formidable distance.

The marathon’s second day saw more than 27,000 runners take to the streets of the capital, flagged off early Sunday morning by Deputy Minister of Economy Dato’ Indera Mohd Shahar Abdullah. Over the course of the weekend, the event drew a record-breaking 43,800 participants from 53 countries to Malaysia’s only World Athletics Elite Label race.

Beyond the athletic achievements, the weekend proved to be a major philanthropic success. Runners participating in the Run For A Reason (RFAR) charity program raised over RM1.1 million before the race weekend even began. The funds will be distributed among several beneficiaries, including the Standard Chartered Foundation, Hospis Malaysia, Kechara Soup Kitchen, Teach for Malaysia, and the newly added Malaysian Congenital Heart Foundation.