Some participants join (front row, third from left) Yii, Lee, Ting (seventh left) and event officials in giving the thumbs-up for the 2018 Miri Marathon.
MIRI: Some 5,000 local and foreign runners participated in the 2018 Miri Marathon here yesterday.
It prompted Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Senadin assemblyman Datuk Lee Kim Shin to say that he could be counted on to give his fullest support to any sports event which has international participation.
Speaking during the prize presentation at Miri Indoor Stadium’s car park compound, he called on the organisers to double their promotional efforts for the event next year.
He said such efforts will not only attract more people to join but also spend their time visiting places of interest in the city and nearby areas.
Also present were Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting and Miri mayor Adam Yii.
The event featured the full marathon (42km) and races for 21, 10 and 5km.
Runners from outside Malaysia included those from Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, India and Hong Kong.
33-year-old Naum Jepkosgei of Kenya, who won the women’s open 42km race, said the event was well organised and conducted.
“I’m happy to come to Miri again next year to defend my title,” she told The Borneo Post.
The men’s winner James Munyi Maregu said the scenery along the race route was beautiful and the safety of runners well taken care of.
Like his other Kenyan friends, he has already entered Miri in his calendar of races for 2019.