Sport

ASICS META : Time : Trials 2026 Marks Five Years of Speed, Community and Progress

The fifth edition of ASICS META : Time : Trials Thailand 2026 wrapped up in Bangkok, bringing together thousands of runners for a 10km race that celebrated speed, competition and the growing running community across the region.

The milestone edition also marked the event’s first time receiving an official World Athletics Road Race Label certification, adding an international stamp of recognition to one of Southeast Asia’s key road-running events.

Held at Rama 8 Bridge & Park, the race featured more than 5,000 participants, including 84 ASICS athletes and A-Racers from Southeast Asia, as well as runners from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and South Korea.

Competing in the METASPEED™ TOKYO series, the elite field recorded 10 personal bests throughout the race.

Among the Malaysian runners, Daren James Nair clocked an impressive 31:51, setting a personal best in the Men’s Invitational category. Other Malaysian athletes included Muhammad Asyhraf Mohamad Zaidin, Vimal Govendarajoo, Haziq Hamzah, Izzat Irfan and Jaz Tan.

In the Women’s Invitational category, Malaysia’s Tiffany Lee finished the 10km in 42:38.
Indonesia’s Rikki Marthin Luther Simbolon took the Men’s Invitational title with a time of 30:20, followed by the Philippines’ Sonny Wagdos in 30:27, who also recorded a personal best. China’s Zhao Xiangbo completed the podium in 30:35.

Vietnam’s Thi Ngoc Hoa Hoang claimed the Women’s Invitational title in 36:18, ahead of the Philippines’ Artjoy Torregosa at 36:41 and Hong Kong’s Leanne Szeto at 37:11.

In the Open category, Kindu Tiruneh led the men’s field with a time of 31:31, while Thanaporn Phatthananothai topped the women’s category in 39:30.

The event was sanctioned by the Athletics Association of Thailand (AAT) and the Asian Athletics Association (AAA), with runners taking on a World Athletics-certified 10km course designed to give participants the opportunity to test their limits and chase new personal bests.

For ASICS Thailand Country Manager Trin Thanakittivara, the fifth edition represented how far the event has grown since its beginnings.

“This milestone is a testament to the passion of every runner who has shown up, pushed their limits, and made this race their own.”

What started as a pilot event with just 300 runners has now evolved into a regional running platform attracting thousands of participants and elite athletes from across Asia.

Beyond the competition, ASICS META : Time : Trials continues to reflect ASICS’ wider mission of encouraging runners of all levels to challenge themselves, improve their performance and enjoy the journey.

With its fifth edition now in the books, the event looks set to continue growing as ASICS builds an increasingly connected running community across the region.