Over 1,250 participate in 2023 Desaru Coast Multisport Festival

KUALA LUMPUR – Over 1,250 participants from more than 50 countries turned up over the weekend for the 2023 Desaru Coast Multisport Festival, showcasing the increasing mass appeal of triathlons in Malaysia. 

The multisport festival featured a host of events for beginners to seasoned athletes, including the Ironman 70.3 Desaru Coast, 5150 Triathlon Desaru Coast, Desaru Coast Sprint Triathlon, and the Ironkids Desaru Coast. 

The event was made even more appealing by the 55 qualification slots for the 2023 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Lahti, Finland in August, 25 of those slots reserved for women. 

The main event turned out to be a hugely engaging affair, with close to 900 participants starting the triathlon with a 1.9km swim from Westin Desaru Coast Resort, before transitioning to a 90km bike course, followed by a final 21km run, finishing back at the resort. 

Recovering from Covid-19 only last week, Malaysian siblings Daniel John Chen and Esther Joy Chen dominated the course as the fastest Malaysians. 

2022 Hanoi SEA Games athlete Esther beat her older brother with a time of 5h 3m 9s, while Daniel finished with 5h 3m 44s. 

Esther admitted she did not know what to expect on her debut Ironman 70.3 race. 

“I could not have asked for a better performance in my first race, having outrun my brother, especially after recovering from Covid-19 a week ago,” she said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, 2023 SEA Games duathlete Tahira Najmunissa finished third in her age group of 30-39 with a time of 5h 31m 11s. 

Australia’s Harry Sinclair was crowned the overall fastest male finisher after crossing the line in 4h 26m 27s under the scorching conditions in Desaru, while Choo Ling Er from Singapore, who won last year’s Langkawi 70.3, finished as the fastest overall female with a time of 4h 49m 52s. 

The oldest male finisher at the race was Japan-based Michael Turoczy, 70, with a time of 7h 54m 25s, and the oldest female finisher was Japan’s Michiyo Sekiya with her time of 7h 12m 13s. 

At the same time, the Sprint Triathlon and 5150 Triathlon also proved a valuable experience for participants who wanted to get a first-hand Ironman experience. 

The Sprint started with a 750m swim, followed by 20km on the bike and 5km run, while the 5150 Triathlon was more challenging with a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride and 10km run to finish, also the Olympic distance. 

Former national triathlete Thiang Choong Yong finished as fastest overall male and fastest Malaysian with a time of 2h 19m 28s, while Australian Leanne Szeto was top female with 2h 24m 13s. 

The fastest Malaysian female was Effarezan Abdul Rahman with her time of 3h 13m 50s. 

This year’s Desaru Coast Multisport Festival also served up an array of side activities throughout the weekend, including the Milo X Wabby Hub Surfskate Clinic, Five Club Speed Gold, and the Desaru Coast Festival Village for the weekend’s festival goers. 

Ironman Asia managing director Jeff Edwards said the successful series in Desaru only highlights the venue’s pivotal significance on the Ironman calendar. 

“The success of back-to-back Ironman races here in Desaru Coast shows what an important event this is in Asia and globally. We saw a great representation from not just Malaysians but athletes from all over the world and it indicates the race will only grow bigger,” he said in a statement. 

Desaru Coast managing director and chief executive officer Roslina Arbak pledged the venue’s commitment to hosting the Ironman, adding that they are determined to grow the festival. 

“We hope that in years to come, Desaru Coast and the state of Johor becomes synonymous with the Ironman brand in the international circuit, making sports tourism a collective pillar of success for us,” she said. – The Vibes, May 14, 2023