Come Sunday, 27 August 2017, over 9,000 runners will participate in the Maybank Bali Marathon (MBM) 2017. This year, the total number of participants increased by 20% compared to last year. About 2,500 runners will take part in the Full Marathon (FM) category, 3,500 runners in the Half Marathon (HM) category, and 3,000 runners in the 10km category.
MBM 2017 are welcoming nearly 1,000 foreign participants. Over 200 of them take part in FM category, 400 in HM category and 360 in 10km category. In addition, Children’s Sprint and 10km Disabled categories saw over 50 sign-ups each.
Thousands of Bali citizens and students will welcome runners of this international running event with art and cultural performances.
Start Zones
The organiser of MBM 2017 has designed different start zones for runners according to race categories as well as runners’ Personal Best (PB) timing. Runners with faster PB will start the race ahead of those with slower PB.
This measure is done to cater for the increasing number of participants, as well as to provide a comfortable, convenient and safe environment for all.
New Route
The new route offers runners the chance to run through Klungkung, Bangli, as well as urban areas, not only the villages. The number of marshals and road barricades will be increased.
The 10km, HM and FM routes are certified by Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The measurement of the routes was done by International Measurement Administrator Dave Cundy, who is a Grade A IAAF-AIMS course measurer.
Race Pack Collection (RPC)
Unlike previous years where the Race Pack Collections were held indoor, this year’s RPC will be held by the gorgeous beach of Bali at Taman Bhagawan (Tanjung Benoa) from Friday to Saturday, 25 to 26 August 2017. Runners and their family can enjoy a wide variety of entertainment and activities at the race expo, such as workout classes, culinary market, picnic zone, kid’s corner and petting zoo.
Technology
MBM 2017 provides live event tracking through its GPS-based smartphone application, Maybank Bali Marathon (available on Android and iOS devices). Developed by MyLaps, this app is particularly useful for supporters to monitor runners’ real-time positions, to choose the perfect location to cheer the runners, and to estimate the finish time of the runners.
MBM Heroes
For the first time, MBM Heroes program is introduced to increase running popularity in the community by training three runners with different motivation. The first runner is Irwin Permata, father of two children, who wants to live a healthier life by completing his first 10K run at MBM 2017.
Tressabel Hutasoit, who will run her first Full Marathon at MBM 2017, aspires to increase awareness of healthy living by sharing stories about four friends of hers who are sick and unable to exercise.
Iqbal Adil, a finance executive with marathon record of 3:58:00 at Jakarta Marathon 2016, aims to beat his own record and run a 3:30:00 marathon at MBM 2017. He wants to show that an ordinary guy can achieve an extraordinary result.
This program is supported by MBM17 sponsors and can be tracked through social accounts of MBM17.
Full Marathon Contenders
Kenyan runner, Kennedy Lilan Kiptoo, who is the record holder of MBM with 2:16:54 in 2012, will return this year to try his luck on the new MBM route. Kennedy has won MBM 3 times, from 2012 to 2014. He also won Kuala Lumpur Marathon 5 times (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016) and Singapore Marathon 2012. His current PB is 2:11:36, achieved at Zhengzhou Marathon 2011.
Kennedy will face tough competitors such as Haftu Tadele Gebremeskel (Ethiopia) who has a PB of 2:12:08 from Danzhou International Marathon 2013, Gochovi Silas Muturi (Kenya) with PB 2:12:38 from Dong-A Ilbo Gyeongju Marathon 2016, Geoffrey Birgen Kiprotich (Kenya) with PB 2:14:52 from Taipei International Expressway Marathon 2015 and Tenaw Belete Enyew (Ethiopia) with PB 2:15:33 from Orange International, Mt. Choisi Marathon 2014.
Meanwhile, the women’s category will see competition from two elite athletes from Ethiopia, Tirework Lemma who has a PB of 2:31:00 and Shiferaw Bentu Wodajo with PB 2:32:00.
In the local category, Hamdan Syafril Sayuti who won MBM three times in a row (2014, 2015, 2016) will be challenged by Yahuza, winner of MBM 2013 and IG Gede Karangasem, winner of MBM 2012. Hamdan is the current record holder for MBM FM local category with 2:35:32 in 2015.
Maybank Bali Marathon (MBM) is an annual road race event held in Bali. 2017 Maybank Bali Marathon is the 6th edition of the event. The race will feature a combination of flat road and rolling hills. Runners will experience Balinese natural life and traditional art performance along the course.
