Malaysia Marathon 2026 Featuring 25,000 Runners Sets The Tone For National Day Celebration

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Marathon 2026 kicked off after midnight with the flag-off of the spotlighted 42-kilometre (km) Full Marathon category, bringing together 2,000 elite and amateur runners in conjunction with the 69th National Day celebration.

The flag-off ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Tiong King Sing, in the vicinity of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

The Full Marathon category commenced at 12:30 am (Aug 30), followed by the 21km Half Marathon at 2:00 am (Aug 30), which involved 8,000 participants.

This inaugural event also featured a unique twist with the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) precinct chosen as the finishing line for all categories, replacing the usual location at Dataran Merdeka.

Additionally, the 10km category is scheduled to start at 3:30 am (Aug 30) with the participation of 5,000 runners, while the 5km Fun Run event involves 10,000 participants at 7:30 am.

A distinct uniqueness is also showcased in the 10km category through a special appearance by an HONOR-made humanoid robot scheduled to compete alongside runners from various countries, including Japan and Nigeria.

For Full Marathon participants, the race route will test physical endurance with a 900-meter climb as they traverse the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH).

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Police are implementing phased road closures and traffic diversions starting tonight until tomorrow afternoon to ensure the smooth running of the event.

Among the main routes involved are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Raja Chulan, as well as the AKLEH and SUKE highways.

Overall, the championship - which has received recognition from the world athletics governing body, World Athletics - brings together 25,000 local and international runners across four categories.

-- BERNAMA