Brunei Darussalam enjoyed podium success at the Borneo Marathon following a flurry of medals in various categories at Stadium Likas in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on Sunday.
Local runner Ruzaini bin Mahadi bagged top place in the men’s 10-kilometre open category with his compatriot Nick Chok placing third. The long distance running specialist clocked a time of 34:39 ahead of Malaysia’s Calvin Rowell who recorded a time of 36:04 and Nick Chok who finished with a time of 36:06.
Brunei’s Muhammad Amirul Hamdi bin Jamil sealed third place in the men’s 42-kilometre (full marathon) open category after registering a time of 02:54:31s.
Vietnam’s Trinh Dinh won the main event after posting a time of 2:50:11 followed by Japan’s Yuki Kaneyama who recorded a time of 2:51:15. In a dominant display at the internationally-renowned meet, local female runner Amirah Zaini clinched top place in the women’s 10-kilometre open category.
The local hope won comfortably with a time of 48:13, making her the only runner in her category to finish in a sub-50 minute mark.
She was nearly four minutes ahead of second place Vierawatie Haris and third place Joanne Chai Suk May, both from Malaysia, who finished with a time of 52:09 and 52:28. In the men’s 10-kilometre veteran category, local experienced runner Akilinnizam Sulaiman finished third with a time of 40:46.
Malaysia’s Asdi secured top place in the men’s 10-kilometre veteran category after recording a time of 38:51 with his fellow countryman Simon Gelasius Kudjil taking the runners-up spot.
Organised by the Kinabalu Running Club, the Borneo Marathon attracted runners from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and Ukraine. – Fadhil Yunus
