By Sofia Nasir
PETALING JAYA, Aug 18 — The PJ Half Marathon, which was held today, drew 8,000 participants from 39 countries.
Petaling Jaya Mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon said the event, now in its 34th edition, saw more foreign runners than ever before, at 250 entries.
“The event this time received great response from foreign participants and proved it is awaited by international running enthusiasts.
“This year, most (foreign) participants were from India with 35 entrants, Japan with 28, Singapore with 21, and the United Kingdom with 18,” he told the media.
The event, which started at 3.40am, featured five categories including 30km open, 21km open, 10km open, 5km fun run, and an anime-themed 1km fun run.
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PJ Half Marathon participants in the 21km category are flagged off at Laman MBPJ, Petaling Jaya, on August 18, 2024. — Picture by PETALING JAYA CITY COUNCIL[/caption]
Zahri said he wants to offer a higher-value prize for the 2025 PJ Half Marathon, in line with the annual increase in participation.
“Next year, we will offer more valuable prizes for participants. We will discuss this as we receive an encouraging response every year,” he said.
Zahri said the PJ Half Marathon, organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), received approval from the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS).
“We have approval from KBS. This programme is also part of the MBPJ’s Merdeka campaign. The issue (of the event being held without a permit) should not arise as it features Malaysia’s image,” he said.
The PJ Half Marathon was held in collaboration with the Selangor Para Athlete Association, with the cooperation of Puncak Ventures SRA Sdn Bhd.
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Petaling Jaya Mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon speaks to the media at the prize-giving ceremony for the PJ Half Marathon at Laman MBPJ, Petaling Jaya, on August 18, 2024. — Picture by PETALING JAYA CITY COUNCIL[/caption]
