Malaysia’s rising marathon talent from Penang, Yong Lin Jia (杨霖嘉), is turning heads after setting a new personal best of 2:27:42 at the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon. With that result, the 25-year-old hopes to earn a spot on Malaysia’s national team for the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok, scheduled for December 9–20, where he aims to secure at least a bronze medal for the country.
🥉4 Athletes Competing for 2 National Slots
This year, four Malaysian runners have met or surpassed the previous SEA Games bronze medal benchmark of 2:35:49 for the men’s marathon. Among them, Yong now ranks first after his impressive Gold Coast performance. The final selection will be made by the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), with two athletes chosen to represent the country.
The other contenders include:
- Muhaizar Mohamad, two-time SEA Games bronze medalist (2017, 2019), who clocked 2:28:47 at the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon.
- Leo Tan Hong Leong, national record holder, who ran 2:29:08 at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.
- Hazique, who posted 2:29:32, also at the Tokyo Marathon.
Standing 171cm tall and weighing 51kg, Yong humbly shared with Sin Chew Sports that he works full-time as a software engineer and only moved from Penang to Kuala Lumpur last September for his job.
🏅Eyes on KL Marathon and SEA Games
“After setting my PB in Gold Coast, my main focus now is on the October Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon, followed by the SEA Games in December,” said Yong. Not a full-time athlete, he makes the most of his time outside work, training with an emphasis on quality. His weekly mileage averages around 90 to 100km.
“My goal is to remain injury-free. If I’m selected, I want to be in my best form to represent Malaysia and fight for a medal,” he added.
👨💻Willing to Follow National Training Plans
Yong expressed his full commitment to following any training plans laid out by MAF or its coaching team.
Despite lacking a personal coach, Yong has rapidly emerged as one of the top marathoners in Malaysia, thanks to his talent and self-discipline. Many see him as a natural athlete with immense potential.
🧠From Casual Runner to National Contender
Yong admitted that although he ran occasionally in secondary school, he never represented his school in competitions. His serious running journey began only after graduating from university.
“At first, I focused on 10km and half marathons. It wasn’t until I joined the Penang Forward Sports Club that I ventured into full marathons. I only started achieving notable results in the last year and a half,” he shared.
He credits the club for its guidance and support, including coaching, race exposure, and travel opportunities that helped broaden his experience.
“I mostly train on my own now, as I understand my body best. I often discuss training plans and race strategies with my clubmate Tan Lee Sheng, who’s based in Australia. We help each other improve.”
🏃First Full Marathon in 2019
Yong made his marathon debut in the 2019 Penang Bridge International Marathon, clocking 4:38 without formal training. With structured training later, he ran 2:44 at the 2024 Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon, which convinced him to focus on the marathon.
In December 2024, he clocked 2:37 at the Jinjiang Marathon in China and further improved to 2:36:04 at the Xiamen Marathon in January 2025.
Despite struggling in the cold at the Seoul Marathon in March, he bounced back at Gold Coast and became the first Malaysian in 2025 to go sub-2:30, finishing in 2:27:42—a performance he is proud of.
Staying Patient While Aiming High
“There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but I’m not in a rush. My philosophy is to listen to my body and prioritize health. Avoiding injury is key.”
Yong now runs not for prizes, but to challenge his limits. He also invests in physiotherapy, and maximizes the use of public resources like parks, open tracks, and gym facilities.
As for high-altitude training, such as in Kenya or Yunnan, he says he will remain in Malaysia for now, as he believes he has yet to hit a performance plateau. “If I ever feel stuck, I’ll consider overseas training.”
Given Malaysia’s hot climate, he aims to race 1–2 times a year abroad in cooler conditions with flat courses, especially in countries like Japan, Australia, and China.
🎯Ambition: Sub-2:25 in 2026
Asked about his future goals, Yong hopes to break the 2:25 barrier, though likely not until next year.
Malaysia’s current national marathon record stands at 2:22:34, set by Tan Hong Leong at the 2023 Fukuoka Marathon.
🏁MAF Selection Based on Performance & Regional Rankings
Malaysia’s national head coach, Manshahar, told Sin Chew Sports that the final SEA Games marathon selection will be based on both recent performances and regional rankings. If an athlete ranks top 3 in Southeast Asia, they will be classified as Category A and automatically qualify. Otherwise, selection will be based on the top 2 Malaysian rankings.
The OCM has set August 12 as the deadline for national federations to submit athlete names. The final selection meeting will be held that same day. Host country Thailand requires final entries by September 1, meaning the Malaysian Open Athletics Championships (August 29–31) in Perlis will be the last chance for track and field athletes to secure a SEA Games slot.
