KUALA LUMPUR, 8 August 2016 – Runners can find themselves alongside fellow Malaysians and international running enthusiasts in the spirit of fitness and fun at the inaugural HSN21KM run set to take place on 8 October 2016. The HSN21KM - the marquee event at this year’s Hari Sukan Negara celebration, is an initiative by renowned event organiser Muse Group Asia, supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia. The run, in line with the mission of Hari Sukan Negara, is aimed at further igniting and strengthening the desire to keep fit and be healthy among Malaysians, and to create a sporting nation. This is the second year Hari Sukan Negara is being held, after the inaugural celebration in 2015.
Held in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, with three recognisable flag-off points, HSN21KM aims to bring together runners from all walks of life – inculcating the spirit of running in the young ones, challenging the elite and inspiring others to beat their personal bests or make their maiden attempt at a running event. “This will be an event for anyone and everyone. From elite runners to casual strollers and just about everyone in between, HSN21KM will be a challenge, and more importantly, also a fun event that unites the people of Malaysia and international running aficionados. Since we opened for registration four weeks ago, we currently have 1,000 participants registered for HSN21KM, and we are geared up for the registrations to come flowing in after this,” said Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, President of Muse Group Asia.
HSN21KM will feature three distances - 21km, 10km and 5km. The 5km fun run is designed as an obstacle race, and unlike the more gruelling, mud-slinging variety, there will be fun-filled obstacles for the whole family instead this time. It is also unique in that participation is open to persons with disabilities, wheelchair-bound or otherwise. Flagging off at the famous Padang Merbok, the 5km fun run will make for a thoroughly enjoyable race for families and fun-loving participants.
Dataran Merdeka will be the flag-off point for the 21km race. Set to be the highlight of HSN21KM due to the record-breaking opportunity, the 21km route will pass through several known landmarks such as Bukit Tunku, Petronas Twin Towers and more. The 10km race, which is expected to have the largest participation, will flag off at Jalan Raja Laut, also passing through several landmarks on its route. All three races will end at Dataran Merdeka.
HSN21KM has much to offer participants. First off, the prize purses being offered for the various categories are large, with up to RM36,000 to be won. The winner of the 21km Open Men’s and Women’s categories can look forward to a RM7,000 cash prize with various purses offered up to 6th placing in the 21km Open and Veterans’ categories for both men and women. Cash prizes are also offered to the top five finishers in the 10km race – for the Open and Veterans, and Men and Women’s categories.
Beat Your Record is a special feature of HSN21KM, where Malaysian participants will have the opportunity to surpass the National 21km Record and take home a whopping RM20,000 incentive. Arul Thevar Muniandy, who recorded a time of 1 hour 7 minutes 59 seconds in Ipoh on 4 July 2004, currently holds the men’s National Record for the half marathon, while in the women’s category, record holder Sheela Samivellu set the best time of 1 hour 27 minutes 9 seconds on 30 September 2012 at the Petaling Jaya Half Marathon.
“These records are set by fellow Malaysians, who have a place in history because of their outstanding feat. HSN21KM challenges runners to make this attempt to break those records. If you break the record, you’ll be a newly discovered Malaysian sporting star! In the years to come, we are also looking to expand Malaysia’s reputation as an international destination for competitive runners, by organising bigger races in the future and more. The HSN21KM is an excellent beginning for the private sector’s collaborations with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to make this vision a reality,” added Datuk Megat Zulkarnain.
For runners who are capable of bringing their family and friends together, they are called to step up as Race Captains. Individuals who can get 10 other people to sign up for HSN21KM in any category can run for free and will be called Race Captains.
Several companies have come on board as official partners and sponsors for HSN21KM. PROTON is the Presenter Sponsor, and is offering a car up for grabs as the lucky draw prize, which will be held at Dataran Merdeka in conjunction with the race as well as Hari Sukan Negara. Both HSN21KM runners and visitors to the Hari Sukan Negara celebration at Dataran Merdeka are eligible for this coupon-based lucky draw. With Brooks Malaysia signing up as the Official Apparel Sponsor for HSN21KM, all participants can expect running T-shirts courtesy of Brooks. Additionally, the first 2,000 registrants are eligible to get a pair of Brooks running shorts, and a 40% discount for any Brooks apparel or a 30% discount for Brooks shoes. The shorts may be redeemed from any Brooks store by showing the early bird confirmation email as proof, while the discount vouchers will be given out during race pack collection. Only one Brooks discount voucher can be used per transaction and cannot be combined with other vouchers or offers. HSN21KM has also signed up Lucozade as the Official Beverage for the run and Swiss-Inn as the Official Hotel.
There will be much to occupy members of the public at Dataran Merdeka in conjunction with Hari Sukan Negara. Activities to expect include popular sports and games like netball, futsal, arm-wrestling, tug-of-war and an e-Sports competition, among others. There will be a OneSilat National Series competition for a touch of fight sports, while visitors young and old can also occupy themselves with kids’ activities, a sports bazaar and much more.
Registration for HSN21KM ends on 15 September 2016. Registration will close after this date, or if the maximum capacity is reached before the closing date, whichever comes first.
For more information on HSN21KM, please visit www.hsn21km.com or Facebook page.
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