Malaysian Athletics Unveils SEA Games 2027 Marathon Qualification Event

Kuala Lumpur, 25 October 2026 – Malaysian Athletics (MA) has announced plans to stage a dedicated marathon qualification event to determine the nation's representatives for the SEA Games 2027 marathon, which will be held in Malaysia.

The announcement was made by Acting President Dato Wan Hisham Wan Salleh during a briefing attended by athletes, members of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), media representatives and the running community.

Acting President of Malaysian Athletics, Dato Wan Hisham Wan Salleh

The qualification event, which will be organised in collaboration with Dirigo Events, is scheduled to take place in the first half of April 2027, with Putrajaya being the likely venue. Organisers hope the route used for the qualification race will mirror the course for the SEA Games 2027 marathon.

The briefing also recognised the achievements of the top performers at the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2026. Yeow Ni Jia successfully defended his men's marathon title and set a new Malaysian men's KLSCM record with a time of 2:33:52, improving on his previous winning time of 2:36:13 recorded in 2025. In the women's category, Esther Joy claimed victory in her marathon debut with an impressive time of 3:05:22.

L-R: Haji Ishak bin Haji Ismail, Secretary, Johor Athletics; Dr Ong Kian Ming, Independent Consultant; Gloria Ng, Director of Dirigo Events; Dato Wan Hisham Wan Salleh, Acting President, Malaysia Athletics; Nurhayati Karim, Secretary General, Malaysia Athletics; Jasmine Low, Legal Advisor, Malaysia Athletics; and Sharmila Santharasagaran, Finance Chairman, Malaysia Athletics.

Under the qualification framework, the top five Malaysian male and female finishers from KLSCM 2026 will earn automatic eligibility for the SEA Games qualification race. These athletes will receive a range of support services to aid their preparation, including access to National Sports Institute (ISN) facilities in Bukit Jalil, rehabilitation services through Dynamique Sports Rehab Centre, assistance with registration for selected international races, training guidance from Coach Azhar and additional support subject to available resources.

The top five male and female finishers from KLSCM 2025 will also be eligible to participate in the qualification race, although they will not receive the support package reserved for the 2026 qualifiers.

In addition, Malaysian runners who achieve benchmark times during the qualification window between 1 April 2026 and 30 March 2027 will also be eligible. Male athletes must record a marathon time faster than 2:39:04, while female athletes must run faster than 2:59:25. Qualifying performances must be achieved at World Athletics-certified and AIMS-measured races, either locally or abroad.

To oversee the process, a SEA Games 2027 Marathon Organising Committee has been formed comprising representatives from Malaysian Athletics, Dirigo Events, the Olympic Council of Malaysia and independent consultant Dr Ong Kian-Ming. The committee will be responsible for determining the final list of eligible participants for the qualification race.

 Independent consultant Dr Ong Kian-Ming

The organisers are also exploring the possibility of holding a public run on the same day as the qualification event to encourage community participation and public support.

The committee plans to engage sponsors and strategic partners to support the inaugural event and hopes to offer prize money to top finishers. Participation is expected to be limited to fewer than 20 athletes per category.

Following the qualification race, the top two finishers in both the men's and women's events will be proposed for selection to represent Malaysia at the SEA Games 2027 marathon, with the third-placed athlete designated as a reserve. Final athlete selection remains subject to approval by the Olympic Council of Malaysia.

Looking ahead, Malaysian Athletics intends to make the marathon qualification race a biennial event aligned with the SEA Games cycle, positioning it as the federation's flagship marathon event similar to the United States Olympic Marathon Trials.

Malaysian Athletics also called on members of the media, running influencers and the wider running community to play a role in ensuring the success of the inaugural qualification event.

RUNWITME SAYS: Keep your eyes peeled for the qualifying event in early April 2027! Beyond deciding who gets to represent the nation, the organisers are also planning a public run on the same day to boost community participation and support.