Local trail runner Shamsuleffandy Haji Sulaiman sealed third place in the overall 30 kilometres (km) category of the Borneo Ultra-Trail Marathon (BUTM) 2025 held in Kiulu, Sabah recently.
The seasoned athlete, who competed under the banner of Santai Group, clocked a time of 04:10:21, trailing eventual winner Willy Wilson Jafry who managed a sub four-hour mark of 03:57:53.
Shamsuleffandy, who is no stranger in the trail running regional scene, was three minutes apart from his closest rival Tivel Peter who emerged runners-up with a time of 04:07:43.
The Bruneian was ranked top in the men’s veteran (45 and above) category, with the top two runners joining the men’s 45 years and under category.
The country’s representative has enjoyed a series of podium finishes in the competition past years having won the 30km and 9km events last year.
Meanwhile, his compatriot and club teammate Suhail Salleh finished fourth in the overall 9km category after recording a time of 0:55:21.
Numerous Bruneians participated in the yearly race across four categories namely the 9km, 30km, 50km and 100km.
The Borneo Ultra-Trail Marathon, which has a fast growing reputation as the leading trail experience in Borneo, is popular among Bruneians seeking the thrill and challenge of trail running.
The gruelling marathon sets runners on a combination of natural jungle settings and cultural landscapes via trails, dirty tracks and back-roads in the Kiulu Valley, north of Kota Kinabalu.
Organised by Borneo Ultra Trails, the race attracted participants from across the globe including Australia, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, Poland, Sweden, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam and hosts Malaysia. – Fadhil Yunus
