KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s towerrunning national team is gearing up for the prestigious Towerrunning World Championship, set to unfold at the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan on May 4.
The Malaysia Towerrunning Association (MTA), in a statement released today, announced the selection of eight athletes comprising four men and four women to represent the nation, including the top-ranked Soh Wai Ching.
MTA president Ravinder Singh conveyed his confidence in the team’s capabilities and expressed gratitude to Malaysians for their unwavering support.
“We are immensely proud to represent the country at this biggest stage of world towerrunning.
“This event is an opportunity for us to compete with the best in the world and bring home glory for our country,” he said after the flag handover ceremony from the Youth and Sports Ministry’s director-general of sports development Mohd Azhari Mohammad to the athletes.
Spearheading the team as the captain, Wai Ching assured that his team is ready to excel at the highest level.
“Our team has worked incredibly hard to prepare for this event as we started our training as early as 4 am even during the fasting month.
“We are ready to take on the challenge at Taipei 101 with the best team we have to represent Malaysia with pride.
“We hope to also inspire younger athletes to commit and train hard for this sport,” said Wai Ching.
Currently ranked fifth globally among towerrunning nations, Malaysia boasts a formidable lineup including Muhammad Hazim Zuhairi Bin Azahari (13th), Ravinder Singh (123rd), and Mohd Sadam Mohd Pittli (153rd) among male participants.
The women’s contingent comprises Michele Tan Bee Kiang (8th), Jennifer Chan Yee Chin (18th), Valerie Sarah Ong (51st), and Nurul Juliana Shakira Abdul Halim (83rd).
The Towerrunning World Championship at Taipei 101 is renowned for its challenging course spanning 91 floors and 2,046 steps, reaching a towering height of 390m.
Elite participants will tackle two heats of the race, covering 91 floors and 59 floors, respectively, with an hour gap between the two heats.
The ultimate World Champion title will be determined by the combined time for both heats. – April 29, 2024