RANAU, Oct 18 — Prize money for the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon could be increased in future editions to attract more elite international runners to the prestigious mountain-running competition.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the proposal was being considered as the event is now part of the Merrell Skyrunner World Series, which brings together some of the world’s best runners.
He said offering more attractive prize money could serve as an incentive for international runners to continue making the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon one of their preferred competitions.
“I think the time has come for us to offer more attractive prize money to draw more participants, especially from the international circuit,” he told reporters after flagging off participants in the 33rd Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon at Kinabalu Park here today.
Jafry said this year’s competition had attracted several elite runners ranked 11th, 13th and 18th in the world, reflecting the event’s appeal among international competitors.
He said about 253 runners were taking part in this year’s edition, including participants from 26 foreign countries, with some international runners using the event to collect qualifying points for the Merrell Skyrunner World Series grand finale in Spain this November.
This year’s winners in the men’s elite, women’s elite and men’s veteran categories each received RM8,000, while the runners-up took home RM6,000 and third-place finishers RM4,000 in each category.
Meanwhile, Jafry said discussions were also under way with the relevant ministries on a proposal to provide sponsorship or financial assistance to local runners to compete in Skyrunner World Series races overseas.
He said the initiative would give Malaysian runners opportunities to gain experience and improve their ability to compete against international athletes.
Jafry said the Climbathon was not merely a sporting competition but also a platform to showcase the natural beauty of Mount Kinabalu to international participants and tourists.
He expressed hope that the world-class event would continue to attract tourists and strengthen Sabah’s standing as an internationally renowned tourism destination. — Bernama
