Wong on her way to victory in Langkawi.
FEMALE runner Wong Mei Yan from Hong Kong stunned a strong field to become overall champion of the 100km Round Island Ultra Road race at the Langkawi International Ultra Run 2025.
The achievement was made even more impressive as it was the first attempt at a road ultra for the 32-year-old, who is more accustomed to marathons and trail races.
She crossed the finish line in 10 hours, 29 minutes and 38 seconds, ahead of top male finishers Muhammad Sazuiam Zakaria (10:52:42) and Steven Ong (10:54:00).
“I usually run marathons and trail races, which are slower due to the elevation changes.
“I just told myself to keep moving,” said Wong on her strategy for the road ultra.
Her husband also participated but did not finish.
Wong said she would return to Langkawi, but next time “just for a holiday”.
Another standout result was Malaysia’s Ku Seng Lip, who won the New 100km Trail-to-Road Hybrid race in 14:53:59.
The format combined 50km of trail running with 50km of road running, making it the first of its kind in Malaysia.
“My strength is in the trails, not the roads, but I signed up because the format looked interesting,” said Ku.
“The tougher the race, the more I want to test myself,” he added.
Organised by Lumen Sports with support from Langkawi Development Authority (Lada), Langkawi International Ultra Run 2025 attracted 1,000 runners from 26 countries, the largest turnout to date, for the 100km, 50km, 21km and 10km events.
Lada chief executive officer Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid said the event showcased Langkawi’s sports tourism appeal.
“Langkawi’s Unesco Global Geopark status is something we are proud to share and events like this help us do so,” she said.
Race director Jeff Ooi said Langkawi International Ultra Run will shift entirely to road categories in 2026, while a new Skytrail Langkawi event will be established for trails, including a planned 175km ultra.
“Whether it is trail or road, Langkawi will continue to serve as a true hub for endurance racing,” said Ooi.
