By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 23: Seasoned marathoner Andy Yeo made an impressive comeback at the Kuching Marathon 2025, finishing runner-up in the 42km Men’s Open category with a time of 2:47:27, a mark that stands among the fastest achieved by Malaysian marathoners in local events this year.
The 28-year-old, who works in the sales industry, has been running competitively for 11 years. Sunday’s result marked his return to the Kuching Marathon after a three-year hiatus, and a significant improvement from his last outing at the event in 2022 when he clocked 3:14:00.
“I see this as a comeback for me. I haven’t raced in the Kuching Marathon for the past three years because of clashes with other major marathons. This year I wanted to give it another try, and I’m happy with the result,” he said when contacted by DayakDaily today.
Although his finishing time fell short of his personal best of 2:44:00, set at a marathon in Taiwan last year, Yeo is pleased to have registered a performance that ranks among the nation’s top results so far in 2025.
“Personally, I am happy to achieve this timing. It shows my training is paying off, and I can still compete nationally,” he added.
Yeo highlighted the weather as one of the toughest challenges on race day. “We anticipated good conditions, but it turned out to be unexpectedly humid and hot. That made it harder for runners to sustain their pace,” he explained.
Asked whether Malaysian runners could match Kenya’s dominance in the sport, Yeo acknowledged the gap. “It’s very difficult for Malaysians to break 2 hours 30 minutes. Kenyan runners are full-time professionals with coaches, while most of us here juggle work with training. For me, I train about an hour a day, covering around 18km, usually with peers who are also passionate about marathon running.”
Yeo will next test his endurance at the Standard Chartered Marathon in Kuala Lumpur in two weeks’ time before heading to Taipei later this year, where he aims to break Sarawak’s marathon record.
A former track and field athlete during his school days, Yeo’s journey into marathon running began casually with a 5km fun run 11 years ago, before his passion grew into serious competition.
Currently supported by a modest sponsorship from Hock Seng Lee and other brands, he hopes for more corporate backing to compete in international events. “Right now, I mostly fund myself, but I’m grateful for the support I have,” he said.
At the Kuching Marathon 2025, held on Sept 21, Malaysian runner Hazarullah Safri emerged as the top national finisher with a time of 2:46:04. Kenyan athletes once again dominated the event’s 10th edition, with David Rono winning the 42km Men’s Open in 2:26:21, leading a Kenyan clean sweep ahead of compatriots Hosea Kogei and David Kipsang.
The event, which has grown into one of Malaysia’s premier running spectacles, drew a record-breaking 14,150 participants this year. — DayakDaily
