By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Mar 29: Sarawak’s first multi-stage running event, the HSL Ekiden Relay Race, took place at La Promenade Mall here today, drawing about 300 runners from nearly 60 teams across the region.
According to a media release, the race began at 6.30am with the flag-off of the open category, followed minutes later by the veterans’ group. Each team of five runners had to complete a 15km circuit inside La Promenade’s gated community.
Team Haolian won the open category in 52 minutes and 16 seconds, edging Millennium Runners by 12 seconds, who finished second in 52:28, while RevRun placed third in 52:36.
In the veterans’ category, Team Kaliu took first place in 54:47, ahead of a second Team Haolian squad made up of older members, which finished in 56:29. U42T Team Reservoir came third in 58:45.
The fastest runner of the day was Ryan Victor, who completed his 3km leg in just 9:03, equivalent to a blistering pace of just three minutes per kilometre.
Some of Sarawak’s elite runners also took part, including Sally Yap, HSL-sponsored ultra-trail national record holder, Sunny Jong, Apple Cheng Jia Xin and Md Mustafa Rahman, better known as @RoboCopKch, whose trademark finish-line dance videos have attracted more than half a million views on TikTok.
HSL’s Ekiden Relay Race is modelled after the popular Japanese event format, which is usually held around the new year.
Unlike a normal individual road race, it is a relay in which runners complete separate legs one after another, rather than all team members running the full distance.
“For the first time ever, East Malaysia has an ekiden. It is so exciting for us. A totally new and unique experience. Thank you to everyone, from HSL, for always supporting the running community, and to City Jogger’s Club (CJC), which always provides great technical support,” said Team Haolian leader Tan Jit Ping.
“The running community has been asking for an ekiden for quite some time, and finally, we have it. It really was too much fun.”
CJC president Elisabeth Wong shared similar sentiments, noting the race recorded a full turnout.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen a racing event with 100 per cent participation. It’s clear HSL’s Ekiden has wide support,” she said.
Winning teams took home RM3,000 in cash prizes, fully funded by HSL, a Sarawak-based construction firm.
“The atmosphere was great. Each time one runner had to pass the sash to the next, there was a surge of electricity. There was so much cheering. I was not prepared for the adrenaline rush,” said HSL marketing and communications head Abraham Tiong.
“I was emceeing, and the crowd response gave me goosebumps. It was easy to emcee. In a way, you could see there was a lot of pressure on the runners. They could not let their team down. At every finish, you could see they were running their hearts out.
“The transition zones, where the sashes were passed from one runner to another in front of the mall entrance, were so loud. There was so much cheering.”
HSL has been organising running events since its Fitness Weekend in 2021. In 2023, it held its first HSL Samarahan Marathon, which drew about 3,000 participants, with winners coming from as far as Singapore, Kenya, South Korea and Brunei.
“We base these events on the principle of leading the way to healthy living, which complements La Promenade’s tagline, ‘Leading The Way To Luxury Living’. The company is glad to be a keen supporter of fitness.
“Up next is the 2026 HSL Samarahan Marathon, where we are anticipating another 3,000 runners across the 3km to 21km categories,” Tiong said.
The company subsidises the marathon by up to 30 per cent to keep prices affordable. Early-bird fees started from RM30 for the 3km category and RM90 for the half marathon.
To sign up, visit lapromenademall.com.my or search #Samarathon2026. — DayakDaily
