By Yasmin Ramlan
PETALING JAYA, Nov 29 — The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be hosting the National Tower Run Championship 2023 next month to promote Petaling Jaya as a sports tourism destination, both locally and internationally.
Its deputy mayor Aznan Hassan said the second-year competition, dubbed the Menara MBPJ Tower Run and taking place on December 17 at Menara MBPJ, is also part of the council’s effort to support the sporting event.
This aligns with the government’s objective of promoting a healthy lifestyle among the people.
“The organisation of this tower running event has the potential to establish Petaling Jaya as an excellent tower running training centre, fostering talent and nurturing new athletes in tower running in Malaysia.
“Another objective of this competition is to encourage healthy activities among the community, starting from walking to climbing stairs.
“This initiative is a concerted effort to reduce the obesity rate, which currently stands at 60 per cent among the Malaysian population,” he said during a press conference at MBPJ’s headquarters today.
The Menara MBPJ Tower Run will kick off at 7am, with two knockout rounds that will see the top ten participants compete for cash prizes.
The winners for the open category (male and female) will win RM1,500 each, while the male and female veteran categories will receive a cash prize of RM1,000. National champions will get an additional RM500.
Participants must climb 552 steps over 25 floors to reach the top.
Suitable for first-timers
World number one tower runner Soh Wai Ching, who was also present at the press conference today, encouraged the public, including first-timers from all walks of life, to participate in the competition.
“It is suitable even for the B40 group as it requires no additional equipment. All you need to do is climb the stairs,” he said.
The 29-year-old, who started his journey in tower running in 2017, said the event is convenient and safe, with the organisers offering amenities like spacious surroundings and air conditioning.
Participants will also receive accident insurance coverage from Pacific Group and AQME for one year. It covers death, total disability, medical expenses, and hospital admission allowances.
“The tower is considered beginner-friendly, in which the running can be completed within 10 minutes if you do not stop walking,” he said.
Registration is open to all public members aged 16 and above, including foreigners, via https://v2.checkpointspot.asia/event/mbpj-towerrun.
The first 100 participants to register will be charged an early bird fee of RM40, followed by RM50 for the next 100 and RM60 for the rest. So far, Aznan said 200 participants have registered for the competition.
