The 1st edition of OSIM Sundown Marathon Penang proved to be a stepping stone for Singapore’s iconic home-grown night run as it ventures overseas into Penang.
The inaugural event on Saturday, 17 December 2016, attracted more than 2,600 runners, including 500 international runners from countries such as Singapore, Kenya, China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The theme – Sleep Can Wait, challenged runners to sacrifice sleep and run through the night, along the beautiful night skyline of Penang.
Adrian Mok, Managing Director of HiVelocity Events Pte Ltd, the organiser of OSIM Sundown Marathon Penang said,
“We are extremely pleased with how OSIM Sundown Marathon Singapore has evolved to become one of the signature sporting events in the regional running scene. We have been planning for regional expansion for several years now, and we are glad to be able to organize a successful race today in Penang for Malaysia. It is a stepping stone for us and we will only get bigger and better in years to come.”
The Race
Runners for the 21.1km Half Marathon, 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run race categories were flagged off at 12.01a.m., 12.05 a.m. and 12.10 a.m. respectively.
Similar to the Singapore races, there were also pacers on site to assist runners who wanted to finish the race at their targeted finishing times.
Supporters and finishers of the run were treated to exciting activities in the Race Village, including band performances by Shades of Dreams and overnight movie screenings of blockbuster favourites such as Transformers: Age of Extinction.
John Cheong, Sales Director of OSIM, who flagged off the various race categories, said,
“We’re really happy to see how the runners enjoyed themselves through the night. The spirit of the marathoner resonates with OSIM because we believe in challenging your spirit to do your best. Not only have these runners completed the challenge to sacrifice sleep, run through the night, and beat the sunrise, they also embodied strength, courage and passion. For those who took on the 5km Fun Run for the first time, we believe that this is merely the start of a healthy lifelong journey ahead of them. Our aim is to inspire well-being to everyone from all walks of life and we also wish to contribute to Malaysia’s running scene in every possible way.”
Race Results
The African runners dominated the race for the Men’s Half Marathon category, clinching the top three podium finishes.
Njoki Charles Munyua took home the champion title with a timing of 01:11:03, followed by Biwott Justus who clocked a timing of 01:11:53. Kiptoo Joackim Kemboi came in next with a timing of 01:17:21, seizing the last podium place.
The best Malaysian timing for the Men’s Half Marathon category was attained by Ow Yong Jin Kuang, who crossed the finishing line with a timing of 01:22:27, and came in fourth behind African runners.
Ow Yong Jin Kuang, who clocked the best Malaysian timing for the Men’s Half Marathon category said,
“This race is very different from the usual ones that are carried out in Penang. The race village is filled with exciting activities, it was so easy to go about in the race village where everything was organised and made easy for the participants as well as supporters. It was an enjoyable run, and I will definitely be joining Sundown Marathon Penang again.”
Meanwhile, Yee Pei Ni attained the best Malaysian timing for the Women’s Half Marathon category with a finishing time of 01:40:23, coming in second behind Towett Cynthia Chelangat who won the race with a timing of 01:25:15.
Yee Pei Ni, who clocked the best Malaysian timing for the Women’s Half Marathon said,
“It was an exhilarating experience to be in this race, the race route made it easy to be able to keep up with my usual pace. The race village makes you feel like it is the place to be, they made sure everyone was well taken care of. There was a Zumba workout to help participants warm up for the race, and band performances that kept everyone pumped up. It was really exciting to be part of the first OSIM Sundown Marathon in Penang.”
The top 5 finishers for the Half Marathon walked home with cash prizes ranging from RM250 to RM1500.
The second regional OSIM Sundown Marathon will be held on 17 January 2017 in Taipei, Taiwan. Sign up by 1 January 2017 to experience the magic of night racing in a different country!
