By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, July 27: At 86, Wong Chan Voon from Ipoh has once again proven that age is no barrier to an active lifestyle, finishing the 5km category of the Kuching Half Marathon Heritage Run 2025 in just 45 minutes.
“I feel very excited. I’m happy to be in a group here, to run with everyone,” Wong told reporters after crossing the finish line at Kuching South City Council (MBKS) grounds this morning. An audio recording of the interview was shared to DayakDaily later.
Although this is only his second time participating in the Kuching Half Marathon Heritage Run—having completed the 10km race last year—Wong is no stranger to distance running.
“I joined many races before, long ago. I’ve run in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang… even 42km marathons,” he shared.
Among his proudest achievements was completing the full 42km Penang Marathon at the age of 74 with a time of 5 hours and 53 minutes.
Wong credits his fitness to one simple routine: “I jog every morning.”
He usually runs at a recreation club near his home in Ipoh. As for his diet? “Nothing special—just ordinary food,” he added.
Wong hopes his story will inspire more elderly people to stay active and live healthily.
His participation added a heartwarming highlight to the half marathon, which saw more than 3,200 runners from Malaysia and 22 other countries converging in Kuching for the event, held in conjunction with the Kuching City Day Festival.
Wong may not be chasing medals, but his determination and spirit have already made him a champion in the eyes of many. – DayakDaily
