Day 1: KLSCM Returns to Dataran Merdeka for its 18th Edition

Kuala Lumpur, 3 October 2026 – Runners of all ages hit the roads of Kuala Lumpur this morning for the IHH 10km and 5km categories of the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2026.

The first day of the event saw more than 9,800 runners competing in the IHH 10km, and over 3,500 runners participating in the 5km category. There was a festive air at Dataran Merdeka where KLSCM 2026 participants converged at the event’s old stomping ground for the 18th edition of the KLSCM.

Muhammad Haziq Mohd Hairol Izmi

Mercy Jebiwott

Muhammad Haziq Mohd Hairol Izmi and Mercy Jebiwott took the gold on the IHH 10km podium for the Men’s Open and Women’s Open categories. Muhammad Haziq finished in 33:54 while Mercy from Kenya crossed the finish line in 37:00.

Aekkarat Meenamai from Thailand took second place in the Men’s Open with a time of 34:22 while Ahmad Arif Ibrahim from Singapore came in third with 34:57.

In the Women’s Open category, the silver went to Serena Teoh Dong Xiang from Singapore who finished with 39:41 while Malaysia’s Shayathiri Ratnam took the bronze with 42:16.

“This is my first KLSCM race. I kept my eye on the men’s leads to push forward and it helped that the weather was cool. I felt good and look forward to running in the KLSCM again next year, maybe in the Half Marathon or Full Marathon,” said the 27-year-old.

The IHH 10km Men’s Veteran category saw Marcus Ong from Singapore topped the podium spot with a time of 36:02. Malaysians Lee Ching Keong and Yong Khong Wei took the remaining podium spots, with Lee coming in second at 37:06 and Yong finishing third at 38:00.

Malaysian women swept the top spots in the IHH 10km Women’s Veteran category, with Chua Mei Yin crossing the finish line with a time of 45:00. Foo Yin Yin finished second with a time of 46:49 while Lim Pei Ting finished third with 47:17.

The 5km run brought non-competitive runners together with several participants showing up in eye-catching and fun costumes to pep up the run. Some of the more notable outfits included a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and some styled after comic or anime characters.

“I think I speak on behalf of many runners when I say we are all happy and excited to return to Dataran Merdeka. The energy and excitement here today was palpable and we are grateful that KLSCM 2026 was able to happen. We are enthused to be able provide sportsmen and the community with a sporting event that that lets runners of all skill levels come together,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events, the rights holder and organiser of the KLSCM.

“We believe in giving runners a world-class event for them to shine in, to become the champions that they are, while improving and elevating the standards of distance running in Malaysia overall. We want runners to know that we see their passion for running, their efforts and dedication and we are happy to provide them with that platform for growth and excellence,” he added.

ASICS Malaysia returns as the official footwear and apparel partner for the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon to equip runners and inspire purposeful movement. Meanwhile, IHH Healthcare Malaysia is supporting the event by deploying over 400 medical staff from six central hospitals to ensure runner safety along the route.

The much anticipated Full Marathon and Half Marathon categories will take place tomorrow and will see fierce competition amongst the top runners. All eyes will be on the Full Marathon Malaysian Men’s category, where the stakes are higher as KLSCM is the official preliminary selection event for the marathon category for SEA Games 2027.

The KLSCM is Malaysia’s premier distance running event and also the first and only race in the country to be awarded the World Athletics Elite Label – achieving that in 2025 and once again this year. It has steadily grown to become the most anticipated distance running event in Malaysia, attracting thousands of local and international runners annually whilst establishing itself as a landmark running event in the local and global running calendar.

Standard Chartered Malaysia is the title sponsor while global sports brand ASICS and IHH Healthcare are the Gold sponsors. The other official partners are 100 Plus, Counterpain, Dynamo, High5 Nutrition, Seiko and TudungPeople.

KLSCM 2026 is sanctioned and supported by venue host Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Malaysia Athletics, World Athletics and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Police. It is also supported by the Malaysian Highway Authority (Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia), Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara - Timur (KL) Sdn Bhd (Kesturi), Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (PROLINTAS) and Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). The event is owned and organised by Dirigo Events.

For more information and updates, please visit the KLSCM website at www.kl-marathon.com/ or our social media pages at:

• Facebook – www.facebook.com/KLSCMarathon
• Instagram – www.instagram.com/klscmarathon/
• TikTok – www.tiktok.com/@klscmarathon