Borneo International Marathon

The Borneo International Marathon (Abbreviation: 'BIM'; Bahasa Malaysia: Maraton Antarabangsa Borneo; Chinese: 婆羅洲國際馬拉鬆賽; Japanese: ボルネオ国際マラソン, Boruneo Kokusai Marason) is a big running event that happens every year in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo Island. People from all over the world come to join this race, which is a way to show strength, work together, and help others.

The very first race took place on 12 October 2008. It was special because it was the first marathon in the state for more than 20 years. Since then, the Borneo International Marathon has grown into an important event for runners and communities alike.

History

The Borneo International Marathon began in 2008. It was first held on October 12, 2008, and had three race distances: 10km, 21km, and 42km. The first race had 529 people joining in, and it has since become an important yearly event in Borneo.

Transition to Kinabalu Running Club (KRC)

On June 18, 2011, the running community felt very sad because of Andrew's sudden passing. In his memory, a group of his running friends created the Kinabalu Running Club (KRC) (Malaysian Malay: Kelab Larian Kinabalu; Chinese: 京那巴鲁跑步俱乐部). This club now organizes the Borneo International Marathons.

Led by Dr Heng Aik Cheng and many volunteers, the Kinabalu Running Club has kept the event growing while helping others. Since then, the marathon has raised over RM1.1 million for more than 36 charitable groups. This support comes from runners, partners, sponsors, and many others.

Growth and Impact

The Borneo International Marathon has become much bigger since it started. By 2016, more than 10,000 people from over 50 countries joined in. This made it the largest and longest marathon on Borneo. It is also the third-biggest marathon in Malaysia, after the Kuala Lumpur Marathon and the Penang Bridge International Marathon.

UNICEF Malaysia Collaboration (2017-2019)

From 2017 to 2019, the Kinabalu Running Club worked with UNICEF Malaysia to create the UNICEF Borneo International Marathon. This partnership used the marathon to raise awareness about important issues affecting children and communities, with each year focusing on a special theme.

In 2017, the theme was #ThisAbility, which celebrated the talents of children with disabilities and encouraged everyone to include them in sports. Children with disabilities were able to join the marathon, helping change how people think about them.

In 2018, the theme became #StandTogether - Say No To Bullying, Yes to Kindness. This campaign taught children and young adults to oppose bullying and spread kindness in schools and communities. Students from SMK Sanzac, a school known for being very kind, took part in the run.

The 2019 theme was #KurangManis (meaning "Less Sweet"), focusing on encouraging healthy eating habits for children and teens. The campaign reminded everyone to make better food choices and avoid too much sugar. Lisa Surihani, a UNICEF National Ambassador in Malaysia, also joined the race.

Race Categories

The Borneo International Marathon has many different race groups so people of all skill levels can join in, from top athletes to fun runners.

*remained since 2019

There is also a special 3-kilometre walk for people from the Special Olympics Sabah, Malaysian Parkinson's Disease Association, and Palliative Care Association Kota Kinabalu. This shows the Kinabalu Running Club wants everyone to feel included and be part of the marathon, no matter their abilities.

Route

The first marathon had runners go by the University of Malaysia Sabah and 1Borneo Hypermall at the start. Then they would run past Jalan Istiadat through the city to Tanjung Aru before heading back to the sports stadium.

The new path now goes through the university campus and has some hilly parts, which makes this marathon one of the harder ones in Asia.

Winners

This list shows the winners of the Full Marathon (42km) only.

Other Races

Borneo Half Marathon

The Kinabalu Running Club works together with the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu) to organize the Borneo Half Marathon. This race happens each year during the Kota Kinabalu City Day celebrations.

The Borneo Half Marathon has two race categories.

These categories make it easy for runners of all skill levels to join in, whether they are top athletes or just running for fun.

Charitable Contributions

Since it began, the Kinabalu Running Club has used the Borneo International Marathon to help the community. The race is not just about running; it also supports local groups and charitable causes. Over the years, the marathon has raised more than RM 1.1 million, helping over 36 different charities in Sabah and other places.