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New Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Mei Yan outruns the men at Langkawi Ultra Run
KUALA LUMPUR: It was meant to be her husband's big day but instead, it was Wong Mei Yan who stole the show in spectacular fashion at the Langkawi International Ultra Run, becoming the fastest overall finisher in the prestigious 100km round island ultra-road event on Sunday. The 32-year-old from Hong Kong, better known for her marathon and trail-running exploits, clocked a blistering 10 hours, 29 minutes and 38 seconds, not only topping the women's field but also outrunning all male contenders, including Malaysia's Sazuiam Zakaria (10:52:42) and Steven Ong (10:54:00). What made her triumph all the more remarkable? It was her first-ever road ultra, and she was only in Langkawi because her husband wanted to attempt the 100km distance. "He was the one who found this race online and said we should try it together," laughed Mei Yan. "But guess what — he gave up at 35km! He DNF-ed! I finished — he quit!" Despite her endurance background, Mei Yan had zero expectations of winning. "I usually run marathons or trail ultras, which are slower because of the elevation. I just told myself to keep moving, except for some of the slopes, and I'm really surprised I finished first overall." Running through the night posed its own challenge. Mei Yan ditched her headlamp due to discomfort and instead carried it by hand for the entire run. "It gives me headaches if I wear it, so I held it the whole way. Now my legs and arms are sore." Exhausted but elated, Mei Yan called Langkawi "beautiful" and said she and her husband would return, but next time, just for vacation. "The views are amazing. The ocean, the mountains — so peaceful. I didn't expect it to be this beautiful," said Mei Yan. "We love joining races overseas, especially half marathons, because we still have energy afterwards to go sightseeing and explore," she added with a laugh. Another standout performance came from local ultra specialist Ku Seng Lip, who emerged as the fastest finisher in the newly introduced 100km dual-format ultra — a punishing combination of 50km trail followed immediately by 50km road. Seng Lip completed the course in 14:53:59, ahead of compatriots Wong Wai Seng (17:22:56) and Lee Yi Siang (17:33:15), in what was described as Malaysia's first-ever hybrid trail-road ultra. While Seng Lip is no stranger to trail ultras, the road segment pushed him out of his comfort zone. "My strength is in trails, not tarmac. Even after 11km, I was already tired and had to pace myself to recover," he said. "I actually don't like road ultras, but this one looked interesting, so I signed up anyway." Though he fell short of his target on the trail section, Seng Lip was satisfied with his overall result. "I was aiming for seven hours but finished in eight and a half. Still, it's a great challenge and I think this is one format that should continue. As an ultra-runner, the tougher it is, the more we want to test ourselves." Organised by Lumen Sports and supported by the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), the Langkawi International Ultra Run drew over 1,000 participants from 26 countries, making it the largest edition to date. RESULTS *Malaysia unless stated 100km Male: 1. Sazuiam Zakaria 10:52:42, 2. Steven Ong 10:54:00, 3. Law Chor Kin (Hkg) 10:54:21. Female: 1. Wong Mei Yan (Hkg) 10:29:38, 2. Lim Siok Har 11:24:06, 3. Tracy Ice 12:53:35. 100km (50km trail/50km road) Male: 1. Ku Seng Lip 14:53:59, 2. Wong Wai Seng 17:22:56, 3. Lee Yi Siang 17:33:15. Female: 1. Vivian Tong 16:52:55, 2. Lim Chee Lai 19:10:33, 3. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (Vie) 20:33:54. 50km (Trail) Male: 1. Michael Costevec (Hkg) 7:30:23, 2. Adam Mrad (Swe) 7:30:23, 3. Tan Beh Loh 8:14:09. Female: 1. Ang Yee Mei 8:23:14, 2. Jamie Leong 9:45:48, 3. Chai Yee Ling 9:45:55. 50km (Road) Male: 1. D' Arcy Lunn (Aus) 3:49:44, 2. Yong Ken Jia 4:13:01, 3. Asyraf Farhan 4:32:49. Female: 1. Enda Tan 5:09:03, 2. Chee Lih Peng 5:33:46, 3. Phyllis Law 5:43:23. 21km Male: 1. Zulu Irminger (Swi) 1:29:57, 2. Hafiz Azmi 1:35:51, 3. Adi Azri Yusof 1:36:07. Female: 1. Tessa Mulder (Ned) 1:44:29, 2. Lim Wei Tien 1:57:46, 3. Kuah Kim Hiong 1:58:08. 10km Male: 1. Nazry Khir 47:19, 2. Jacques Matthieu Loic Morin (Fra) 49:52, 3. Goh Chee Tiong 50:09. Female: 1. Mazlina Shafura Abdul Manap 58:38, 2. Rusvaneeda Zainol 58:55, 3. Siti Nur Hidayah Md Aziz 1:04:33.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Grandmother with one kidney proves age just a number in Langkawi ultra run
LANGKAWI: Age is truly just a number for Rahayah Yahya, 65, who crossed the finish line of the Langkawi International Ultra Run 2025's 21-kilometre (km) race at Dataran Lang here yesterday evening. What makes her feat all the more remarkable is that the grandmother from Shah Alam completed the gruelling run with only one kidney, having donated the other to her husband just over a year ago. Rahayah, who looked nonchalant as she reached the finish line, clocked three hours, six minutes and 25 seconds, earning admiration from fellow runners and spectators alike. She was among 1,000 participants from 25 countries who took part in the ultra-running event, organised by Lumen Sports with the support of the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada). The competition featured nine categories, including 100km, 50km (trail and road), 20km vertical, 21km, 10km and 5km road races, as well as the Ultra Kids runs (2km and 500m). Met after her race, Rahayah described finishing the event as a blessing beyond words. "Alhamdulillah, I brought along a bottle of rehydration salts and a few dates to keep my energy up and prevent exhaustion. "I ran at a moderate pace but kept it steady from start to finish," she said. Despite living with only one kidney, Rahayah said she remains healthy and free of chronic illnesses. "This strength is a gift from Allah, and life is normal for me. I joined this run to support my children, especially one who once competed in Ironman Langkawi. "If they organise this again and I'm still strong, Insyaallah I will join again," she said.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Sailing industry can enhance Langkawi's potential as leading tourism destination
LANGKAWI: The sailing industry can become a catalyst in further enhancing Langkawi's potential to be a world-renowned tourism destination as well as a sailing hub in the region. Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chief executive officer Datuk Haslilna Abdul Hamid said the economic spillover from the industry, which includes shipping activities, maintenance, repair and overhaul as well as boat manufacturing, is capable of generating job opportunities and driving local and national economic development. 'Langkawi is an island, so as an island, it definitely has a marina. So, with this facility, the sailing industry will have a positive impact on the local economy. 'If the sailing sector can flourish, a lot of economic spillovers can be enjoyed by the local community,' she told reporters here today. Earlier, she delivered the keynote address at the Malaysia Yachting Conference held in conjunction with the 2025 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA'25) here today. Haslina said Langkawi currently has three marinas, namely Langkawi Yacht Club, Telaga Harbour Marina and Rebak Marina Langkawi, which are quite limited and can only accommodate yachts of a certain size. 'We receive many requests from super yachts that want to enter the facility, but we can't because only yachts measuring 80 metres in length are allowed to dock. 'So, there is a need to expand the marina if we want to further stimulate the economy from the yacht industry... we need to see what needs to be done at the existing marinas, if we want to add a new marina it may be a little complicated,' she said. Meanwhile, she hopes that the Malaysia International Boat Show 2025 (MYBOS'25) and the Malaysia Sailing Conference could become annual events that could further enhance Langkawi's identity as a regional sailing hub.
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Langkawi eyes sailing industry to boost tourism, economy
LANGKAWI: The sailing industry can become a catalyst in further enhancing Langkawi's potential to be a world-renowned tourism destination as well as a sailing hub in the region. Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chief executive officer Datuk Haslilna Abdul Hamid said the economic spillover from the industry, which includes shipping activities, maintenance, repair and overhaul as well as boat manufacturing, is capable of generating job opportunities and driving local and national economic development. 'Langkawi is an island, so as an island, it definitely has a marina. So, with this facility, the sailing industry will have a positive impact on the local economy. 'If the sailing sector can flourish, a lot of economic spillovers can be enjoyed by the local community,' she told reporters here today. Earlier, she delivered the keynote address at the Malaysia Yachting Conference held in conjunction with the 2025 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA'25) here today. Haslina said Langkawi currently has three marinas, namely Langkawi Yacht Club, Telaga Harbour Marina and Rebak Marina Langkawi, which are quite limited and can only accommodate yachts of a certain size. 'We receive many requests from super yachts that want to enter the facility, but we can't because only yachts measuring 80 metres in length are allowed to dock. 'So, there is a need to expand the marina if we want to further stimulate the economy from the yacht industry... we need to see what needs to be done at the existing marinas, if we want to add a new marina it may be a little complicated,' she said. Meanwhile, she hopes that the Malaysia International Boat Show 2025 (MYBOS'25) and the Malaysia Sailing Conference could become annual events that could further enhance Langkawi's identity as a regional sailing hub.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Foreign visitors continue to lead tourist arrivals in Langkawi
LANGKAWI: Foreigners continue to make up the majority of tourist arrivals in Langkawi, accounting for about 60% compared to locals as the island is poised to attract even more international visitors this year through a series of global events. 'Since last year, foreign visitors have accounted for approximately 60% of the total tourist arrivals, surpassing local tourists. 'We have seen reports indicate a growing preference among Malaysians for other destinations over Langkawi. In facing this challenge, we are emphasising that the unique experiences and offerings available here distinguish us significantly from other locations,' Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) CEO Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid told SunBiz yesterday at the ongoing 17th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima 2025) here. Haslina said Lada has been actively inviting key individuals from other countries, including artistes and professionals, to visit Langkawi and assist in promoting the island. When asked, she said the budget allocation for these initiatives varies, depending on the specific programme. 'Beyond promotional efforts, we also engage in community-based programmes aimed at preserving and showcasing local culture. 'In response to inquiries about international events, we do organise such activities, including sailing events. For example, the annual regatta takes place from January through March, attracting participants and spectators from around the world,' Haslina said when asked about sailing events for this year. This year, Langkawi will host several prestigious sailing events, including the Royal Regatta and the Regatta Pergana for youth, she said. 'We also have Sail Malaysia, featuring participants sailing all the way from Australia. We also have scheduled the social regatta and the Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta. These are all part of our annual calendar of events. Beyond sailing, Langkawi is proud to host international competitions such as the Ironman triathlon. This year marks the 10th edition of the Ironman event, which last year attracted over 2,000 participants. Our target for this year is to exceed 3,000 participants. 'Furthermore, the Langkawi International Half Marathon is another major sporting event on our schedule. Last year, it drew approximately 4,000 participants, highlighting the growing appeal of Langkawi as a destination for international sporting events,' Haslina said. She added that according to the organiser of this year's event, the registration website was open for less than an hour before attracting about 6,500 participants. This exceeded the initial target of 5,000, demonstrating strong interest and demand. Haslina noted that Langkawi is set to host several international sporting events, including an international soccer tournament for schools in Malaysia and an upcoming international seven-a-side rugby competition. Additionally, an international tennis event is scheduled for next year. 'In total, last year we organised approximately 49 programmes, with around 70% of these being international in nature. This demonstrates the island's growing reputation as a hub for global events. 'Moreover, the cost of living and activities in Langkawi remains affordable and manageable, countering the common perception that it is an expensive destination,' Haslina said.
