TAWAU: The Tawau Runners Club (Tawau Runners) is optimistic about making the Tawau Marathon an annual event.
The club's chairman Dulmi Mular said it was the first time they held Tawau Marathon 2024, and received strong support from both local and international participants.
"When we first started, we organised Fun Runs, five and 10 kilometres (km) runs, and half marathons (21km), with the ambition to eventually host a full marathon," he said.
Meanwhile, Kalabakan MP Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, who is also the state Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Assistant Minister, said he would propose for the Tawau Marathon to be included in the Sabah Tourism calendar.
"We will further improve the event, turning it into a sports tourism brand or product in the future with the support of all involved parties," he said at the event's launching ceremony at Padang Bandaran Tawau here, today.
More than 2,000 participants, including those from 15 foreign countries, competed in four categories: 42km (full marathon), 21km (half marathon), and fun runs of 10km and 5km.
Mountain guide Wilson Singgin topped the Men's Open category with a time of 3 hours and 13 minutes, while Vietnam's Cahg Nong won the Women's Open category with a time of 3 hours and 25 minutes.
Kenyan runner Denis Isika emerged as the fastest in the 42km Men's Veteran category with a time of 2 hours and 52 minutes, while the 42km Women's Veteran category was won by Vietnamese runner Hien Ngu Yen with a time of 3 hours and 30 minutes.