World’s Biggest Duathlon returns to Putrajaya in a Triumphant Weekend of Racing
PUTRAJAYA once again hosted the World’s Biggest Duathlon, as the best local and international runners and cyclists from across the globe converged at Dataran Putrajaya in Malaysia’s capital to vie for the POWERMAN Malaysia title. This year marked the 19th edition of this prestigious event, made even more special by the addition of a new presenting partner, JAECOO.
Drawing its most international participants yet, POWERMAN Malaysia 2024 by JAECOO saw over 4,000 hobby and elite duathletes competing on the streets of Putrajaya in the exciting run-bike-run format sporting event, across multiple distance categories. These included a Classic distance (10km run, 60km bike and 10km run) and a Short distance category (5km run, 30km bike and 5km run), as well as 3 exciting POWERKIDS categories for the youngsters (ages 6 to 15). The event also welcomed 20 children with physical disabilities and special needs, who were proudly cheered on by all spectators and participants.
Present at the flag off for the POWERMAN Elite, Classic and Short category was YB Hannah Yeoh, Minister of Youth and Sports of Malaysia, Y.Bhg Dato' TPr. Fadlun Bin Mak Ujud, President of Putrajaya Corporation, Emily Lek, Vice President of JAECOO Malaysia and En. Mohammad Isa Abdul Halim, Director of Meeting & Support Incentives at Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB).
Clinching first place for the Elite male category with a time of 02:41:48 was John Leerams Chicano from the Philippines. In the Elite female category, Rendy Williams from the United States of America took first place with a time of 03:09:34.
Malaysian trio, Esther Joy Hong Li Chen (03:13:35), Muhammad Rabani Bin Hashim (02:58:41) and Nazri Muhamad (02:59:24) proudly completed the race in 2nd, 5th and 6th place within their respective Elite categories.
Jeffrey Ross, General Manager and Race Director of POWERMAN Malaysia explained, “This year, the event was taken to a new level as we welcomed JAECOO as our presenting partner. POWERMAN Malaysia is known as one of the most popular and successful annual sporting fixtures in the country, and we were proud to share the stage in 2024 with JAECOO. We had over 30 nationalities who participated in the 19th edition of the event, in what was a fiercely competitive race for the title of The World’s Biggest Duathlon, and we were thrilled to showcase the beauty of Putrajaya and its surroundings to all of our participants.”
“The JAECOO brand embodies the traits of today’s fearless, trailblazing, and ambitious individuals. We were thrilled to have amplified this same spirit through our collaboration with POWERMAN Malaysia,” explained Emily Lek, Vice President of JAECOO Malaysia. “Just as every athlete is fuelled by a desire to stand out in the most challenging conditions, JAECOO similarly stood out with its distinct design and performance for fans with active lifestyles who love the outdoors,” she added.
Besides being in the heart of all the excitement, participants and visitors also had the opportunity to get up close to witness the JAECOO J7 premium SUV, which was in action functioning as a race starter vehicle, supporting POWERMAN Malaysia in delivering the ultimate race experience for athletes. Additionally, participants could also experience for themselves the All-wheel Drive (AWD) and Two-wheel Drive (2WD) variants of this new and exciting SUV by JAECOO, which were on display at the event venue.
POWERMAN 2024 by JAECOO wasn't just about the race; it was about the entire experience. As well as the main race days on Saturday and Sunday, POWERMAN Malaysia 2024 by JAECOO featured a bustling three-day industry Expo, with over 50 exhibitors showcasing their products and brands to the international audience, including Kahf - a halal, nature-inspired and high-quality men’s personal care and grooming brand - 100PLUS, Shimano, PURPOSE Performance Wear, Therabody and Garmin, making it a must-attend event for all stakeholders in the Malaysian running and biking communities.
