Multi-country run sees local para-athletes lead the way
in a special 1km route flagged off by Minister of Youth and Sports
Kuala Lumpur, 17 July 2023 – The Malaysian leg of the inaugural multi-country Lazada Run was marked with high spirits and community camaraderie by an 8,000-strong crowd of Malaysians from all walks of life, who enthusiastically tackled their chosen race routes of 5km, 10km, and 21km respectively.
Held today in Cyberjaya, the 21km race was the first to flag off at 5.00am, followed by an energetic Zumba warm-up session for 10km and 5km runners, which subsequently set off at 6.45am and 7.15am respectively. While the runners were sweating up a storm, the Lazada race village was alive with activity, as spectators and families of the runners explored a wide variety of food trucks, had fun at the Brand Experiential Zones, and redeemed free goodies from the many booths set up specially for the event.
Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Hannah Yeoh did the honours of flagging off a special 1km route that saw the proud participation of 40 para-athletes representing the three major disability categories in Paralympic Sports, i.e. physical, visual and intellectual; to the loud and enthusiastic encouragement of the exuberant crowd at the event.
Another highlight of the event was the presentation of the in-kind donation of RM50,000 by Lazada Malaysia Chief Executive Officer, Alan Chan to the President of Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM), Dato’ Sri Megat D. Shahriman, which was witnessed by YB Hannah Yeoh. The contribution is in support of the TambahEMAS crowd-funding initiative anchored by PCM’s mission to train and prepare the para-athletes towards securing more gold medals in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The donation will also support PCM’s effort in organising additional outreach initiatives for the disabled community.
Lazada Malaysia’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Chan, said the event was a prime demonstration of Lazada’s efforts to engage the Malaysian youth through fitness, in addition to promoting sports inclusivity for all. “We are thrilled by the success of the Lazada Run, which was organised as a platform to inspire consumers to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. It is heartening to see Malaysians from all walks of life turning up this morning to spend precious time bonding and enjoying a healthy recreational activity together. The participation of our para-athletes and the support of YB Hannah Yeoh reaffirms our commitment to making fitness accessible to all and to the development of Malaysian youth, many of whom are present today to walk and run with their friends and family.”
PCM President Dato’ Sri Megat D. Shahriman also remarked, “The Lazada Run was a great example of what can be done, as we strive towards building a world that not only includes but also uplifts communities with disabilities. As seen today, sports and fitness should be and can be for all, and we are thankful that organisations like Lazada that are stepping up to raise awareness and support for our para-athletes. We hope to see continued support to empower and enable Malaysia’s talented para-athletes who have and will continue to make the country proud in the sporting arena.”
A first-of-its-kind regional running event by an eCommerce platform, the Lazada Run is a tour of six Southeast Asian cities including Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Race winners from the five cities where the run has already concluded will be flown into Singapore for the final event that will flag off on 23 July 2023.
In Malaysia, first and second place finishers of the 21km race, Poo Vasanthan Subramaniam, Nik Fakaruddin Ismail, Noor Amelia Musa, and Lee Shi Fing; and first place winners of the 10km race Mohamad Shahrin Che Abdullah and Chua Khit Yeng will be bearing the country’s flag to compete in Singapore against the other regions for the chance to win USD3,500 (estimated at RM16,000). The top five winners of both the 21km and 10km race also won cash vouchers totalling up to RM21,200, while all runners who successfully completed the half-marathon received an exclusive 21km race medal and finisher tee.
There were also lucky draw prizes up for grabs where over 30 lucky draw winners walked away with attractive prizes from Lego, Aveda, and Ice-Watch.
Sportswear giant Puma was the Official Apparel Partner for the Lazada Run Malaysia while FreeYond, Y.O.U, and Dettol were the run’s Official Sponsors. Optimum Nutrition was the Official Sports Nutrition Sponsor, Revive was the Official Isotonic Drink Partner, and Tonton was the Official Media Partner. Other sponsors included Milo, Spritzer, Blackmores, Epitex, Unilever, Ice-Watch, Splat, Lego, Aveda and Tealive.
