Kundasang: Hisashi Kitamura of Japan finally secured his long-awaited victory at the recent Borneo The Most Beautiful Thing (TMBT) Ultra-Trail Marathon 2025, conquering the 109-kilometre category.
Hisashi, a familiar face on the podium in past years, defeated his long-time rival Milton Amat from Sabah, Malaysia, who finished second, while Willy Wilson Jafri claimed third. After four consecutive runner-up finishes, Hisashi finally delivered in Sabah, crossing the line in 13 hours 37 minutes.
It was his second Asia Trail Master (ATM) win of the season after the Shiga Kogen 100 in Japan and his 11th ATM victory overall. In the early stages, Milton briefly moved ahead, but Hisashi closed the gap by the fifth water station and never looked back.
Memories of 2019, when Milton overtook him in the final uphill stretch, lingered, but this time Hisashi surged away, extending his lead to 28 minutes by the finish.
When asked whether he was confident of victory while battling Milton in the last few stations, Hisashi said he overtook Milton at 55km.
“Halfway I already had the confidence. After being second place four times, this is one of my dreams as a trail runner, and I achieved it,” he said.
Milton clocked 14 hours 5 minutes for second place, while Willy Wilson Jafri celebrated his first ATM podium in third. Daved Simpat placed fourth, followed by Haziq Asyraf and Humberto Baeza. Jasni Bin Gandi finished seventh, and Vitus Daimi’s eighth place secured him a spot in the upcoming ATM Championship Final as one of Malaysia’s Top 5.
Reflecting on his race and career, Milton shared candidly “When I first started trail running, it was simple. Just finish the run, enjoy the adrenaline, and have fun being pushed by others. That’s all.
“But later, when I reached my peak, things felt different. Expectations came in, I was representing a brand, and running slowly turned into responsibility. It wasn’t just fun anymore. And when that happens, the love for it starts to fade. The pressure became heavier than the joy.
“Honestly, nothing dramatic, it’s just how life goes. Age caught up too, and in a way, I actually feel relieved. As a veteran, there’s less expectation. Haha. For this race I just set the right mood, ran my best, and I’m happy with it. Even managed to beat my 2019 result, which feels good.
“Big respect to Hisashi for winning!! His timing was crazy. The way he pushed himself was really inspiring. Congrats to all the runners out there. Whatever your result, you gave your best and that’s something to be proud of. And for those who ‘retired early’… who knows, maybe the midlife crisis will bring you back,” he laughed.
In the women’s field, local Sabah star Rejlen James dominated the TMBT 100, leading from start to finish to win in 20 hours 55 minutes. It was her second victory at the event after 2023 and her 10th ATM career win, tying her with Tahira Najmunisaa on the all-time list and leaving her just one behind Indonesia’s Ruth Theresia.
Already confirmed for Team Malaysia in the ATM Championship Final, James once again proved herself the country’s trail running benchmark.
The women’s race saw plenty of late drama. Dazeree Joannes looked set for second place but withdrew at the last aid station. Adelinah Lintanga then appeared secure in second until India’s Ashwini Bhat surged from outside the top ten to snatch the runner-up spot, finishing just 38 minutes behind James. Lintanga settled for third and also booked her place in Team Malaysia.
Australia’s Sarah Webb finished fourth, Pf Goh fifth, followed by Joyce Yong Hie Ying and the Philippines’ Avegail Depanay. Despite stomach cramps and a four-hour pause after halfway, Cecille Wael fought on to complete the race in 10th.
Runners faced additional challenges due to a tropical depression over the South China Sea. Strong winds in the days before the race caused fallen trees along roads in Kota Kinabalu, Kundasang, and Kg. Lingkubang, the flag-off area, with organisers warning of potential hazards and displaced trail markers.
The Borneo TMBT — regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s toughest ultra-trail events — runs around the base of Mount Kinabalu, through villages, farmlands, and river valleys. Runners must tackle steep ridges, bamboo bridges, and climbs to nearly 2,000 meters.
The scenery is breathtaking, but the demands are relentless.
Despite the harsh conditions, the spirit of the race shone through. Volunteers kept the event running smoothly, earning praise from competitors.
Yvette Kortekaas, who ran the 50-kilometre category, said it was a superb well-organised race.
“Thank you to all volunteers and organisers, and a personal thank you to the emcee at the 50km finish line, you helped me up those last stairs with your great attitude.”The 2025 edition of the Borneo The Most Beautiful Thing Ultra-Trail Marathon will be remembered for two standout victories: Hisashi’s long-sought men’s crown and James’ milestone 10th ATM triumph.
Tough weather, fierce competition, and unforgiving trails only added to the drama, reaffirming TMBT as one of the region’s premier ultra-trail races.
Hisashi, a familiar face on the podium in past years, defeated his long-time rival Milton Amat from Sabah, Malaysia, who finished second, while Willy Wilson Jafri claimed third. After four consecutive runner-up finishes, Hisashi finally delivered in Sabah, crossing the line in 13 hours 37 minutes.
It was his second Asia Trail Master (ATM) win of the season after the Shiga Kogen 100 in Japan and his 11th ATM victory overall. In the early stages, Milton briefly moved ahead, but Hisashi closed the gap by the fifth water station and never looked back.
Memories of 2019, when Milton overtook him in the final uphill stretch, lingered, but this time Hisashi surged away, extending his lead to 28 minutes by the finish.
When asked whether he was confident of victory while battling Milton in the last few stations, Hisashi said he overtook Milton at 55km.
“Halfway I already had the confidence. After being second place four times, this is one of my dreams as a trail runner, and I achieved it,” he said.
Milton clocked 14 hours 5 minutes for second place, while Willy Wilson Jafri celebrated his first ATM podium in third. Daved Simpat placed fourth, followed by Haziq Asyraf and Humberto Baeza. Jasni Bin Gandi finished seventh, and Vitus Daimi’s eighth place secured him a spot in the upcoming ATM Championship Final as one of Malaysia’s Top 5.
Reflecting on his race and career, Milton shared candidly “When I first started trail running, it was simple. Just finish the run, enjoy the adrenaline, and have fun being pushed by others. That’s all.
“But later, when I reached my peak, things felt different. Expectations came in, I was representing a brand, and running slowly turned into responsibility. It wasn’t just fun anymore. And when that happens, the love for it starts to fade. The pressure became heavier than the joy.
“Honestly, nothing dramatic, it’s just how life goes. Age caught up too, and in a way, I actually feel relieved. As a veteran, there’s less expectation. Haha. For this race I just set the right mood, ran my best, and I’m happy with it. Even managed to beat my 2019 result, which feels good.
“Big respect to Hisashi for winning!! His timing was crazy. The way he pushed himself was really inspiring. Congrats to all the runners out there. Whatever your result, you gave your best and that’s something to be proud of. And for those who ‘retired early’… who knows, maybe the midlife crisis will bring you back,” he laughed.
In the women’s field, local Sabah star Rejlen James dominated the TMBT 100, leading from start to finish to win in 20 hours 55 minutes. It was her second victory at the event after 2023 and her 10th ATM career win, tying her with Tahira Najmunisaa on the all-time list and leaving her just one behind Indonesia’s Ruth Theresia.
Already confirmed for Team Malaysia in the ATM Championship Final, James once again proved herself the country’s trail running benchmark.
The women’s race saw plenty of late drama. Dazeree Joannes looked set for second place but withdrew at the last aid station. Adelinah Lintanga then appeared secure in second until India’s Ashwini Bhat surged from outside the top ten to snatch the runner-up spot, finishing just 38 minutes behind James. Lintanga settled for third and also booked her place in Team Malaysia.
Australia’s Sarah Webb finished fourth, Pf Goh fifth, followed by Joyce Yong Hie Ying and the Philippines’ Avegail Depanay. Despite stomach cramps and a four-hour pause after halfway, Cecille Wael fought on to complete the race in 10th.
Runners faced additional challenges due to a tropical depression over the South China Sea. Strong winds in the days before the race caused fallen trees along roads in Kota Kinabalu, Kundasang, and Kg. Lingkubang, the flag-off area, with organisers warning of potential hazards and displaced trail markers.
The Borneo TMBT — regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s toughest ultra-trail events — runs around the base of Mount Kinabalu, through villages, farmlands, and river valleys. Runners must tackle steep ridges, bamboo bridges, and climbs to nearly 2,000 meters.
The scenery is breathtaking, but the demands are relentless.
Despite the harsh conditions, the spirit of the race shone through. Volunteers kept the event running smoothly, earning praise from competitors.
Yvette Kortekaas, who ran the 50-kilometre category, said it was a superb well-organised race.
“Thank you to all volunteers and organisers, and a personal thank you to the emcee at the 50km finish line, you helped me up those last stairs with your great attitude.”The 2025 edition of the Borneo The Most Beautiful Thing Ultra-Trail Marathon will be remembered for two standout victories: Hisashi’s long-sought men’s crown and James’ milestone 10th ATM triumph.
Tough weather, fierce competition, and unforgiving trails only added to the drama, reaffirming TMBT as one of the region’s premier ultra-trail races.