All smiles: Muchiri (left) and Seroi holding their trophies and mock cheques at the prize-giving ceremony after the marathon in Batu Kawan. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
Professional athlete and mother of two conquer full marathon in Penang
NIBONG TEBAL: Out of 25,000 runners from 64 countries, Kenyans once again dominated the Aspen-Klippa Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) 2025, sweeping the top honours in the men’s and women’s full marathon open categories.
Anderson Saitoti Seroi, 31, clocked 2:19:42 to emerge champion in the men’s full marathon.
The professional athlete said the win completed a hattrick, having claimed the same title in 2023 and 2024.
“It was a good run, with the weather and wind conditions favourable.
“I felt confident I could win,” he told reporters after the prize-giving ceremony at Batu Kawan yesterday.
Seroi said he planned to use his prize money to open a shop in his hometown in Kenya.
He took home RM25,000 in prize money, a trophy and a finishing medal.
He said he was now preparing to compete in a full marathon in Hong Kong next month.
“I hope there will be no injury while I’m preparing for the next competition.”
Another Kenyan, Eunice Nyawira Muchiri, 33, said she managed to improve her run this year by clocking her best time of 2:37:32.
Cause for celebration: (From left) Penangite Ooi Chew Hoon, 50; Kedah resident Tan Xin Rou, 28; and engineer Cham Chiong Fook, 43, showing the scooters and Proton S70 that they won in the lucky draw at the Aspen-Klippa Penang Bridge International Marathon 2025 in Batu Kawan.
“Last year I only managed to finish second.”
The mother of two said she adopted a conservative pace at the start, gradually picking up speed after the halfway mark before surging to the finish line to claim victory.
She took home RM25,000 in prize money, a trophy and a finishing medal.
Police corporal Noor Amelia Musa won Best Malaysian Full Marathon Women’s Open despite suffering muscle injuries.
Kpl Noor Amelia, 39, who is attached to the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre (Pulapol), had previously won the same category in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
She clocked 3:14:17, finishing eighth overall to secure the title of best Malaysian woman runner title.
“I am glad to finish as the best despite my injuries.
“Now I want to go back and rest.”
Kpl Noor Amelia said she would return next year, adding that the PBIM was among her favourite venues.
Full-time athlete Muhamad Haziq Hamzah, 34, who won Best Malaysian Full Marathon Men’s Open at PBIM 2025, said this was the second time he had won the title.
He said he had first won the category in 2024.
“I am gunning for a hattrick next year,” he said.
He clocked 2:38:30, finishing eighth overall to emerge as the best Malaysian male runner.
The long-distance runner said he competed in Berlin in September and Tokyo in March, and the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon in October.
Both Malaysian runners won RM5,000 in prize money, a trophy and finishing medals.
This is the second consecutive year PBIM has been held at Batu Kawan after the venue was shifted from the Penang Bridge.
The runners started and finished at Aspen Vision City, with the full marathon flagged off at 1.30am, the half marathon at 3am and the 10km run at 6.30am.
PBIM is the longest bridge marathon in South-East Asia and is among the region’s most challenging races.
Located on the second Penang bridge, the course tests runners with strong crosswinds, elevation changes and the mental endurance of running through the night.
