PETALING JAYA: A year after suffering a heartbreak, 16-year-old Muhd Haziq Hairol Izmi bounced back in emphatic fashion by storming to the overall 10km title at the SCORE Marathon 2026 by AIA Vitality.
The Selangor runner, competing in the junior category, stunned a field of seasoned runners by clocking a personal best of 35:31s, finishing ahead of Mohd Rahimi Radzi (35:39s) and Mohd Nur Radzman Munib (36:00s).
His winning time was 49 seconds quicker than the 36:20s he posted when finishing runner-up overall in last year’s race.
The victory carried extra significance for Haziq, who finally made up for last year’s disappointment after being overtaken in the closing stages by the eventual winner Mohd Haris Iman Shuhaimi — the very same rival he defeated this time around.
“I honestly wasn’t targeting the overall title. My goal was simply to win my own category. To finish first overall today is truly a blessing,” said Haziq, a Form Four student at SMK Bandar Baru Bangi.
“Last year he overtook me right at the end. This year, I managed to turn the tables on him. I’m just thankful everything worked out in my favour.”
The win will be the perfect confidence boost ahead of Haziq’s biggest assignment yet – his debut appearance for Selangor at the upcoming Malaysia Games (Sukma) next month, where he will contest the men’s 5,000m.
“This is my final preparation before Sukma. It’s my first Sukma, so my target is to gain experience first. Hopefully I can do my best before aiming for medals in the future,” added Haziq, who is inspired by his father, a former Terengganu and Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) distance runner.
His long-term ambition is to represent Malaysia in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and ultimately following in the footsteps of national distance runners Haziq Hamzah and Muhaizar Mohamad, whom he regards as his sporting idols.
