Yeoh (front row, second from right) and Tengku Ab Aziz (fourth from left) seeing off tower runners at Merdeka 118.
Malaysia hosted its first major international event under the Towerrunning World Association (TWA) circuit, taking climbers up the iconic Merdeka 118 in conjunction with National Day.
Towerrunning Asian & Oceanian Championships 2025 – known locally as Sky Race at Merdeka 118 – saw over 5,800 participants from 70 countries taking the 2,845-step challenge to Level 118 of the world’s second-tallest building.
Soh, who continues his tower running dominance, feels immense pride with his win in Sky Race at Merdeka 118.
The event also recorded a double Malaysia Book of Records achievement, for “Highest Towerrunning Race” and “Most Finishers in a Towerrunning Race”.
Fresh Events Asia managing director and Sky Race director Jeffrey Ross said, “The Sky Race marks a significant milestone for Malaysia’s sporting landscape.
Merdeka 118, a new tower running icon. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
“Each participant brought their own story of courage and determination to tackle the world’s second-tallest building, and the response has been overwhelming not only locally but also globally.
“It’s remarkable to see how this event has captured international attention and positioned Malaysia alongside legendary tower races like the Empire State Building Run-Up, Shanghai Tower International Vertical Marathon, Eiffel Tower Vertical Race and Taipei 101 Run.”
The race was flagged off by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, accompanied by PNB Merdeka Ventures chief executive officer Tengku Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud.
“By hosting this world-class event at Merdeka 118, we are not only highlighting an architectural icon but also reinforcing Malaysia’s standing on the global sporting stage,” said Tengku Ab Aziz.
The event saw Malaysian tower runner Soh Wai Ching claiming overall victory with an impressive time of 15:37, while Yuko Tateishi from Japan dominated the female category with a time of 19:59.
The race attracted participants in six categories – Open (18+), Junior Veteran (40-49), Veteran (50-59), Senior Veteran (60+), Juniors (13-17) and Teams.
Notably, 74% of participants were first-time tower runners, demonstrating the event’s broad international appeal and accessibility.
For Soh, who is also event ambassador, the victory held special significance.
“Winning the Sky Race on our National Day weekend represents Malaysia’s emergence as a world-class destination for vertical running,” he said.
“Standing atop Level 118, I felt immense pride for what we’ve accomplished together – elevating Malaysia’s position in the international tower running community while celebrating our heritage and national spirit.”
The event was supported by key partner Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, an agency under Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, and Visit Malaysia 2026.
