Kota Kinabalu: Sabah ultra-runner Daved Simpat completed a seven-year unfinished mission in spectacular fashion by setting a new Malaysian record at the UTMB World Finals with an official time of 28 hours, 53 minutes and four seconds.
His 28:53:04 finish improved the previous Malaysian mark by nearly seven hours, marking a remarkable turnaround from his first participation in 2019 when an accidental trekking-pole injury forced him to record a Did Not Finish (DNF).
Fellow Sabahan runner Mira Ambu Spaniol also successfully completed the UTMB-OCC, giving Sabah another finisher on the prestigious world trail-running stage in the Alps. Daved revealed that few people knew what had happened during his first UTMB attempt seven years ago.
About 60km into the 2019 race, he was overtaking several runners when a trekking pole belonging to one of the competitors he passed accidentally struck the area around his Achilles tendon.
The injury left a scar which remains visible today. Daved nevertheless attempted to continue and managed another 20km despite the pain before reaching about the 80km mark, where he was examined by the medical team.
Still in considerable pain, he was eventually forced to withdraw.
Seven years later, Daved returned to the UTMB World Finals following months of preparation and training, determined to complete the race that had eluded him.
His latest attempt was not without difficulties. Daved endured a tough night in the cold and suffered cramping, but continued to maintain a pace that kept him on course for a sub-30-hour finish.
At one checkpoint, he arrived about 30 minutes ahead of his predicted time.
He later struggled over the final mountain but recovered time on the downhill before eventually crossing the finish line in 28:53:04. The result completed his unfinished mission from 2019 while establishing a new Malaysian benchmark at the UTMB World Finals.
“Seven years later, the unfinished mission is complete — with a new Malaysian UTMB World Finals record, beating the previous mark by an incredible seven hours,” his supporters said. “An unforgettable comeback. A proud moment for Malaysia.”Navawhite, who supported Daved as his Performance Partner, said the achievement followed months of preparation, countless kilometres of training, discipline, recovery and proper nutrition.
The Asia Pacific Adventure Athletes Team was also thanked for supporting him throughout the race.
Mira, on the other hand, completed the UTMB-OCC after setting out from Orsières, Switzerland, determined to make her way through the Alps to the finish line in Chamonix, France. Before the race, Mira said competing at UTMB was an opportunity she had worked for years to earn.
“The world stage I’ve been dreaming about. The one I worked so hard to reach,” she said.
“I earned my spot here, so there’s not any other plan but to finish.”Mira said she also wanted to carry Sabah’s name with her on the world stage.
“With the pride of my hometown, Sabah, I run. Making sure the world sees our flag through this world stage finish line,” she said. “I’m no elite runner, but when I run, I’ll give it my all.”After completing the race, Mira described it as one of the hardest challenges she had undertaken and said Mount Kinabalu provided inspiration as she tackled the Alps.
“I thought about Mount Kinabalu while running up the Alps. Thank you for making me so strong. Semangat Kinabalu!” she said. She said years of training, setbacks and perseverance had gone into earning her place at the starting line, while the support she received from home helped keep her going when fatigue set in.
“Despite running out here alone, I was never alone in spirit,” Mira said, thanking her parents and supporters who kept her in their thoughts and prayers.
Daved’s record-breaking performance and Mira’s successful OCC finish capped a proud outing for Sabah on the UTMB world stage.
Lalitah bites her winner’s medal. – Asia Trail MasterMeanwhile, Sabah’s Lalitah Lintanga made a memorable step into the longer distance when she conquered the gruelling 109km race at the 14th edition of the TMBT Ultra Trail Marathon to claim her first-ever Asia Trail Master (ATM) victory.
More accustomed to competing over the 50km distance, Lalitah ventured into relatively unfamiliar territory but showed little sign of being intimidated by the challenge.
She led virtually throughout the race before crossing the finish line in 22 hours and 21 minutes, turning her move up in distance into a breakthrough victory.
The result marked a significant milestone for Lalitah, the youngest of the Lintanga runners, as she secured her maiden ATM race win over one of the toughest categories at the Sabah ultra trail event.
Harlin Richard, who has been enjoying a strong ATM season, finished runner-up in 24:32, while Stlea Thomas took third, about 10 minutes behind.
The Philippines’ Maria Manalo Tugna finished fourth and Japan’s Yoshie Kobayashi fifth. Japan also celebrated victory in the men’s 109km as Hisashi Kitamura successfully defended his TMBT title for the second consecutive year.
Hisashi initially took a conservative approach, running alongside Sabah’s Oswald Maikol and Willy Wilson Jafry before shifting into a higher gear and gradually breaking away.
He completed the 109km course in 13:55, reinforcing his credentials ahead of the ATM Championship Final in five weeks.
Oswald, a former winner of the race in 2024, finished runner-up in 14:53, while Willy completed the podium in third with a time of 15:35.
Samry Sainin was next across the line, followed by Switzerland’s Simon Lattman and Bernardo Linus.
Sabah runners also made their presence felt in the men’s 50km, where Sheron Sariman produced an impressive performance to beat a strong field and take victory in 5:46.
Sheron, who finished third at BUTM earlier this season, faced challengers including Sabah trail-running star Milton Amat and Wilsen Singgin, Vietnam’s Ngo Van Chinh and Sung A Phu, as well as Japan’s Taichi Yui.
Milton had to settle for second in 6:05, almost 20 minutes behind Sheron, underlining the latter’s strong performance.
Ngo completed the podium in third in 6:23, while Yui narrowly missed a podium finish by about a minute. Sung was fifth and Wilsen sixth.
In the women’s 50km, the Philippines’ Angelie Cabalo claimed her third ATM race victory of the season after crossing the finish line in 8:15.
The result further strengthened her position as one of the leading contenders for the women’s ATM Championship title next month in Vietnam.
Singapore’s Zoe Tan finished second in 8:44, recording her third runner-up finish of the season, while Sabah’s Adelinah Lintanga took third.
Brunei’s Ainul Mahmud finished fourth and Melissa Ellexter fifth.
The 14th edition of the TMBT Ultra Trail Marathon started at sunrise with its classic 109km and 50km categories, with both races serving as qualifiers for the ATM Championship points ranking.
