The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) heralded the 15th edition of the event when Minister of Youth and Sports, Yang Berhormat Hannah Yeoh officially launched the opening of registrations to the public here today.
Malaysia’s premier distance running event, which will take place in Dataran Merdeka on 30 September and 1 October, has been awarded the prestigious Road Race Label by governing body World Athletics, making it the first running event in Malaysia and only the fifth in South East Asia to receive this recognition.
KLSCM last saw over 40,000 participants in its 2020 edition, which ultimately only took place late last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. KLSCM 2023 has already garnered almost 7,000 participants through its priority registrations, which opened on 18 April.
“We are delighted to have received the Road Race label from World Athletics, which is a stamp of approval that would give runners added confidence that they are registering for an internationally recognised event,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events, the owner and organiser of the multi-award-winning mass participation event.
Youth and Sports Minister, Yang Berhormat Hannah Yeoh was given the honour to officially launch public registrations for KLSCM 2023 and duly noted KLSCM’s brand recognition amongst the running fraternity.
“I am truly honoured to have been invited to participate in Malaysia’s most renowned mass participation event,” said Hannah.
“I understand that KLSCM has previously discovered the talents of runners such as Muhaizar Mohamad, who has won bronze medals in the 2017 and 2019 editions of the SEA Games as Malaysia’s sole representative in the Full Marathon category. Similarly with Sheela Samivellu, who holds the national record for Women’s Half Marathon since the 2016 KLSCM edition,” said Hannah.
Charity programme Run For A Reason (RFAR) has been an integral component of KLSCM and has benefitted and improved the lives of thousands of Malaysians by raising over RM7 million over the last 15 years. For 2023, the charity beneficiaries are Standard Chartered’s Futuremakers, Hospis Malaysia, Dignity For Children Foundation, Kechara Soup Kitchen and Reef Check Malaysia.
For more information on the campaign, please visit kl-marathon.com.
