LIKE an iron lady, Noor Amelia Musa proved too strong for her local women counterparts when she emerged as the Best Malaysian in the Full Marathon at the Aspen-Klippa Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) 2025 in Batu Kawan today.
The victory marked the fourth time the 39-year-old corporal attached to Pulapol had won the title at the Penang Bridge marathon, following her triumphs in 2019, 2022 and 2023. Apart from the trophy and medal, she also took home the top prize of RM5,000.
What made the victory all the more remarkable was that Amelia had barely two and a half hours of sleep after rushing to Penang following her 21km Women’s Open victory at the Yamaha Gen Blu Carnival Run 2025 in Putrajaya the night before.
Little wonder that master of the ceremony Carolyn Ooi, together with her co-host Bernard Loke, joked that Amelia did not need a motorcycle to catch a thief — she only needed to run.
“Today’s race went perfectly for me, unlike last year when I suffered muscle cramps. I felt good even after rushing here from Putrajaya. It was tiring, but it was worth it,” said Amelia, who hails from Terengganu and is currently based in Kuala Lumpur.
Amelia clocked 3:14:17 to win the title this year, off her personal best of 3:03:00, set at the Tokyo Marathon.
Lee Siok Chin finished second with a time of 3:16.41, while Chew Lay Ling placed third after clocking 3:21:54.
Amelia’s husband, Nik Fakaruddin Ismail, a five-time Malaysian men’s full marathon champion in Penang, could only manage sixth place in the Men’s Veteran category this year – behind all Kenyan runners.
Meanwhile, the Best Malaysian Male Athlete award went to Muhamad Haziq Hamzah, who secured his second consecutive victory at the Penang Bridge International Marathon.
Describing himself as a full-time athlete, Haziq said he arrived in Penang in winning form after capturing the Langkawi Half Marathon title last week.
The rising star has been making a name for himself, having won the Bank Rakyat Johor International Marathon in November, and competed at the Tokyo Marathon in March and the Berlin Marathon in September.
However, he rued missing out on representing Malaysia at the ongoing SEA Games after vomiting and failing to finish the 2025 Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon (KLSCM).
Haziq clocked 2:38:30 to win today’s race, finishing ahead of Mohamad Nur Radzman Mohamad Munib (2:39:31) and Syahrullah Safri (2:43:38).
“When I compete abroad, I focus on timing. Sometimes it is very cold over there. But when I race in Malaysia, I go for the podium,” said Haziq, whose manager, Megat, plans to arrange a major overseas marathon for him in February next year.
Once again, the Kenyans proved unstoppable, sweeping the top seven places in the Full Marathon Men’s Open, the top five in the Men’s Veteran, the top seven in the Women’s Open, and the top four in the Women’s Veteran categories.
Anderson Saitoti Seroi ran a blistering race to clock 2:19:42 for his third consecutive victory in the Men’s Open marathon, while Eunice Nyawira Muchiri, a mother of two, finished first in the Women’s Open Marathon with a time of 2:37:32. They were richly rewarded with a prize of RM25,000 each.
Anderson Saitoti Seroi ran a blistering race to clock 2:19:42, securing his third consecutive victory in the Men’s Open marathon, while Eunice Nyawira Muchiri, a mother of two, won the Women’s Open title in 2:37:32. Both athletes each took home RM25,000 in prize money.
Asked about Kenyan dominance, Anderson said with a smile: “I believe training at high altitude back home and eating ugali — a dense, dough-like staple made from maize flour — make the difference.”
Also present at the prize presentation ceremony were organising chairman and state EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy Wong Hon Wai, Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik, Aspen group managing director Ir A. Anilarasu, Klippa deputy commercial manager Jo Saw, Jabatan Kedua Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Adbul Malek, Penang Amateur Athletic Association president Datuk Syed Mohd Aidid, Proton deputy director Zhang Wen Jun, Proton head of sales Ong Chee Wooi and IKEA’s fulfilment manager Thomas Pratap.
RESULTS
Full Marathon
Men’s Open: 1. Anderson Saitoti Seroi (Ken) 2:19:42, 2. Geoffrey Birgen (Ken) 2:19:52, 3. James Cherutich Tallam (Ken) 2:23:58
Men’s Veteran: 1. Peter Kipleting Keter (Ken) 2:23:39, 2. Joseph Mwangi Ngare (Ken) 2:24:41, 3. David Kipkoech Kipsang (Ken) 2:27:24
Malaysian Best Male: 1. Muhamad Haziq Hamzah (Mas) 2:38:30, 2. Mohamad Nur Radzman Mohamad Munib (Mas) 2:39:31, 3. Syahrullah Bin Safri (Mas) 2:43:38
Women’s Open: 1. Eunice Nyawira Muchiri (Ken) 2:37:32, 2. Rholex Jelimo Kogo (Ken) 2:40:25, 3. Alice Muthoni Koigi (Ken) 2:41:50
Women’s Veteran: 1. Peris Jepkorir (Ken) 2:48:06, 2. Susan Jemutai Kosgei (Ken) 2:53:17, 3. Caroline Cherono (Ken) 2:56:58
Malaysian Best Female: 1. Noor Amelia Musa (Mas) 3:14:17, 2. Lee Siok Chin (May) 3:16:41, 3. Chew Lay Ling (May) 3:21:54
Half Marathon
Men’s Open: 1. Mark Kipruto (Ken) 1:10:20, 2. Kelvin Kiplagat Kipruto (Ken 1:10:30, 3. Evans Kiptoo Bomer (Ken) 1:11:54
Men’s Veteran: 1. Thomas Kipkorir Martim (Ken) 1:14:07, 2. Dennis Mulwa Isika (Ken) 1:16:46, 3. Looi Mun Fai (Mas) 1:24:15
Malaysian Best Male: 1. Ow Yong Jin Kuang (Mas) 1:14:40, 2. Vimal Govendarajoo (Mas) 1:16:03, 3. Lim Kok Leong (Mas) 1:16:51
Women’s Open: 1. Evangeline Makena Kathenya (Ken) 1:18:13, 2. Lucy Liavoga (Ken) 1:19:21, 3. Chua Khit Yeng (Mas) 1:27:30
Women’s Veteran: 1. Julia Wangui Njari (Ken) 1:27:18, 2. Aya Mizushima (Jap) 1:29:25, 3. Panumas Keereewong (Tha) 1:36:54
Malaysian Best Female: 1. Chua Khit Yeng (Mas) 1:27:30, 2. Nurul Juliana Shakira Abdul Halim (Mas) 1:33:16, 3. Corinne Gunn Huey Min (Mas) 1:34:29
10KM Run
Men’s Open: 1. Kennedy Kiproo Lilan (Ken) 31:34, 2. Simon Rotich (Ken) 33:41, 3. Aekkarat Meenamai (Tha) 33:44
Women’s Open: 1. Ong Ee Ling (Mas) 41:11, 2. Tan Evelyn (Mas) 42:57, 3. Nor Halizah Md Yusup (Mas) 43:04
Junior Boys: 1. Devindra Muniandy (Mas) 32:40, 2. Danish Haikal Mohd Shah Faidrul (Mas) 35:24, 3. Khor Fong Zhe (Mas) 35:30
Junior Girls: 1. Raisya Adelea Rohazam (Mas) 41:32, 2. Phichayada Saithong (Tha) 42:05, 3. Yap Shao Yin (Mas) 43:53
Story by Tanushalini Moroter and K.H. Ong
Pix by Law Suun Ting