Malaysia ended a 44-year marathon drought when Muhaizar Mohamad, 32, an army commando from the Sungai Udang camp in Melaka, bagged the bronze in the men’s category at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games 2017 here today.

Singapore’s Soh Rui Yong defended the gold in 2:29:27s while silver went to Indonesia’s Agus Prayogo who clocked 2:31:20s. Muhaizar finished the race in 2:31:52s.

The Malaysian runner who hails from Gurun, Kedah dedicated his win to his family, friends and all Malaysians who prayed for him. 

"I only managed to train for a month and it was my target to contribute a medal to the country. Alhamdulilah, I’ve achieved that thanks to the support of my wife, children and parents," he told reporters later.

This is the first medal obtained by Malaysia in athletics at the 29th edition of the Games from Aug 19 to 30.

Malaysia last won a medal in a marathon at the 1973 Singapore SEA Games through M. Solaimuthu who clocked 2:42:03s to win the bronze. 

Muhaizar, who beat his personal time of 2:35:55s today, expressed hope that fellow Malaysians in the contingent would continue to make the country proud in the biennial Games.

In the women’s category, Mary Joy Tabal of the Philippines clinched the gold in 2:48:26s ahead of Vietnam’s  Hoang Thi Thanh in 2:55:43s and Thailand’s Natthaya Thanaronnawat who clocked 2:58:17s.

- Bernama