The 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will take place this December in Songkhla, Thailand, and Malaysia is allowed to send two athletes for the marathon event. With four runners having achieved sub-2:30 marathon times this year, the big question is — who gets the call?
Surprisingly, there has been no clear qualification criteria set by the authorities so far. This has stirred unease among athletes and fans alike, especially recalling past controversies.
🕰 Flashback to 2017
Marathoner Edan Shah ran a stellar 2:30:56 at the Gold Coast Marathon — the fastest time of the year — and was expected to join Leo Tan in the SEA Games squad. However, Muhaizar, the Standard Chartered KL Marathon champion, was selected instead, leaving Edah disappointed and raising concerns over the transparency of the selection process.
📅 KL Marathon in October — Too Close for Comfort?
The upcoming Kuala Lumpur Marathon in October could serve as a performance benchmark. But with the SEA Games just two months later, recovery and peak conditioning will be a serious challenge. Holding a last-minute trial is also unlikely, and athletes might be forced to choose between chasing personal goals or focusing on national duty.
Regardless of the final decision, the current timeline doesn’t favor athletes looking to perform their best at the SEA Games.
🔍 Current Top Contenders
Based on recent performances, two athletes appear to be in top form, both delivering personal bests at the Toyota Outrun 2025:
🥇 Muhamad Haziq
- 10km: Southern Cross University Run – 34:19 (2025)
- Half Marathon: Toyota Outrun – 1:13:30
- Full Marathon: Tokyo Marathon – 2:29:40
🥇 Yeow Ni Jia
- Half Marathon: Toyota Outrun – 1:15:55
- Full Marathon: Gold Coast Marathon – 2:27:42
🐴 Veterans Still in the Game
Despite being in their 40s, both Muhaizar and Leo Tan are still strong contenders. At the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon, Muhaizar clocked 2:28:47, proving that experience and resilience can still beat the odds.
Leo Tan also impressed with a 2:29:11 finish at the Tokyo Marathon, officially entering the sub-2:30 club and staking his claim for SEA Games selection. He previously finished 4th at the Cambodia SEA Games, a commendable performance given the extreme heat and humidity.
However, training in cooler climates like Taiwan may not fully prepare athletes for Southeast Asia’s tropical weather — a known factor that could affect race-day outcomes.
⚖️ Selection or Confusion?
Malaysia’s marathon selection process is beginning to reflect a larger issue in sports governance — the gap between administrative control and performance-based merit.
While Muhaizar proves age doesn’t define limits, the system must prove that merit matters more than seniority. A clear and data-driven selection system is the only way to ensure fairness and confidence among both those chosen and those who miss out.
