2022 IRONMAN Malaysia A Massive Success In Langkawi

For the 2022 IRONMAN Malaysia, national duathlete Ziq Junaidy gave himself the best birthday gift after he was crowned the fastest Malaysian at the IRONMAN LANGKAWI 70.3 with a commanding performance to finish the race in 4:52:39 seconds.

Ziq was thrilled with his performance on a day when rain showered the historical Langkawi Island for most parts.

 

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“I did my best today and I am happy it is enough to finish as the fastest Malaysian, and on my birthday too! This is an ideal preparation for me to secure a slot in the 2023 SEA Games,” he said.

2022 SEA Games silver medalist Tahira Najmunisaa became the fastest female athlete for the IRONMAN Langkawi 70.3 with a time of 5:14:55 seconds.

Tahira’s participation was initially in doubt as her daughter was due to undergo open heart surgery, but it got postponed and she got to compete.

“I also haven’t swum in months, but I’m a strong cyclist and a runner. So I aimed for that. The vibe and overall race atmosphere, coupled with the rain spurred me on,” she said.

Overall, the IRONMAN Malaysia & IRONMAN LANGKAWI 70.3 turned out a mega success as over 1,500 participants converged from all over the world to make this iconic multisport event one to remember.

 

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Both events were making a comeback after a two-year hiatus, but it turns out the demand for IRONMAN has never waned as it also becomes one of the first few international sporting events to return to Langkawi island post-pandemic.

The diversity of participation told the story of IRONMAN’s allure, as the triathletes turned out from 50 countries.

Malaysia boasted the highest number of participants with 43% athletes, followed by Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Thailand, and India.

The IRONMAN Malaysia flagged off early Nov 5 morning, and despite challenges posed by the weather, it did not dampen the spirit of the competitors who turned it into a highly competitive affair.

Indonesia’s Andy Wibowo was crowned the IRONMAN Malaysia overall male champion after crossing the finish line at 9:37:58 seconds, while April Rice of Canada came finished as the fastest female with a time of 10:19:18 seconds.

“For a challenging course like this, I’m proud to finish with this time. I definitely look forward to returning to Langkawi island again. I have many friends here, plus nasi lemak is my favorite food!” said Andy.

Veteran Shahrom Abdullah turned in as the fastest Malaysian IRONMAN Malaysia male triathlete with a time of 10:40:55 seconds.

“This is my fifth full IRONMAN and I am thrilled to finish as the fastest Malaysian,” said Shahrom, who was also the fastest Malaysian in 2019.

2022 SEA Games duathlete Ann Pow powered through as the quickest Malaysian (11:55:44 seconds) despite enduring most of her run with a blistered foot.

“I really wanted to be the first in my age group. I did not expect to finish as the fastest Malaysian female, this is a bonus to me,” she exclaimed.

The Langkawi 70.3 male champion meanwhile went to Romania’s Toma Alexandru who clocked in 4:18:46 seconds, while Singapore’s Choo Ling Er took the top spot in the female category after finishing in 4:47:29 seconds.

IRONMAN Asia Managing Director Jeff Edwards was elated to witness such a huge turnout for one of Asia’s most iconic events.

“We were optimistic about witnessing a huge turnout for these two events, and we were not disappointed. In fact, both races turned out to be a huge success and this is a testament to the appeal of IRONMAN especially here in Langkawi.

“We are so glad to be able to bring this race to this beautiful island, and at the same time help boost the local economy too. It was such a great spectacle as not only the participants enjoyed themselves, their families and friends did too, along with the friendly locals who were anticipating this event for months,” he said.

The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chief executive officer Tuan Nassarudin bin Abdul Muttalib said the return of IRONMAN was anticipated by the local community.

“The IRONMAN gives a massive economic boost to the people of Langkawi who have been waiting for a world-class event like this.

“This is because a family event like this always gives an opportunity to the participants to compete, and at the same time allows their families quality vacation time. The uniqueness of this island offers an amazing experience with its diverse flora and fauna which will give them a priceless experience,” he said.

The event was indeed a massive boost for the local economy as the participants and their families arrived days earlier to occupy the hotels, which created a chain of spending from the F&B to the transportation sector.

The Langkawi Tourism Association had earlier said the return of IRONMAN Langkawi came at the perfect time, as life returned to normal post-pandemic.

The IRONMAN Malaysia offered up to 55 qualifying slots for the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, while there are 30 slots available for IRONMAN 70.3 Langkawi participants to the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland.

This event is supported by its Premier & Technical partners in Asia including Active, Breitling 1884, Fulgaz, Qatar Airways, Roka, Santini, VinFast, and Wahoo.

For more information on this event, please visit https://www.ironman.com/im-malaysia