KUCHING – The Kuching Half Marathon Heritage Run 2025 continued its upward momentum as more than 3,200 participants, including international runners, joined the lively event at the South Kuching City Council (MBKS) compound on Sunday morning.
Organised by the Kuching City Joggers Club in collaboration with MBKS, the event has grown into a major annual attraction, held as part of the Kuching City Day Festival celebrations. Both amateur and professional runners from across Malaysia and overseas participated in this year’s edition, reflecting the increasing global appeal of the event.
Among the international entrants were athletes from Hungary, Kenya, and Brunei Darussalam, highlighting the successful positioning of Kuching as a rising hub for sports tourism.
Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurial Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, praised the event’s organisers and highlighted the significant economic benefits such sports initiatives bring.
“When participants from abroad and other parts of Malaysia travel here just to run, they spend on hotels, food, and local products. That translates directly into economic stimulation for Kuching and the wider Sarawak region,” he told reporters during the prize-giving ceremony.
He also emphasised the dual role such events play—promoting health and wellness while simultaneously generating tourism revenue and international attention for Sarawak.
With the number of participants steadily increasing each year, the Kuching Half Marathon is not only a sporting success, but a key component in Sarawak’s long-term strategy to leverage sports tourism as a vital economic driver.