PT Bank Maybank Indonesia shared some updates about the preparations for the upcoming ‘Elite’ label road race, which is the first and only one of its kind in Indonesia, known as the Maybank Marathon 2023. It’s set to take place on August 27, 2023, at Bali Safari & Marine Park in Gianyar, Bali.
As Maybank Marathon enters its 12th year, Maybank Indonesia has noted that approximately 13,600 participants have registered across three categories: Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.0975 km), and 10K. This year’s Maybank Marathon has seen a remarkable 37% increase in participants compared to the 2022 edition. This rise goes hand in hand with the renewed enthusiasm of people getting back into activities during the post-pandemic situation.
In terms of nationalities, the majority of participants in Maybank Marathon 2023 are from Indonesia, followed by participants from Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Australia, the UK, and other countries. Additionally, Maybank Marathon 2023 will also include competitions like the children’s sprint category and the wheelchair category, just like in previous years.
The President Director of Maybank Indonesia, Taswin Zakaria, stated, “We welcome the positive enthusiasm of the participants in the Maybank Marathon 2023 and are greatly impressed by the increase in the number of participants in all categories this year. This increase is the highest ever since the inception of the Maybank Marathon in 2012. On another note, the increase in the number of participants reflects the community’s increasingly positive response to athletic sports, especially marathons, and the growing awareness of a healthy lifestyle through running.”
Furthermore, Taswin emphasized that the Maybank Marathon is an evolving race that has become part of the ‘Elite’ label road race network recognized by World Athletics. This event is practically open to both avid runners and the general public, provided they are in excellent physical condition to achieve their personal best or to utilize the Maybank Marathon as a platform to realize their aspirations in advancing their achievements in the field of running sports. Additionally, the total prize for the Maybank Marathon 2023 exceeds Rp2.7 billion for 86 winners, including record-breakers.
As for what sets this year’s Maybank Marathon apart, it involves a sister marathon collaboration with the Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon in Thailand. In the first year of this partnership, Maybank Indonesia will offer free race slots to a total of 40 finishers in the Marathon Open, National Marathon, and Marathon Master categories of the Maybank Marathon 2023, who have achieved the best times, to participate in the Marathon (42.195 km) event at the Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon in November 2023. Similarly, a total of 40 runners from the Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon will have the opportunity to compete in the Maybank Marathon 2024.
As the Maybank Marathon 2023 approaches, the organizing team has undertaken a series of preparations. This includes inviting international elite runners as one of the requirements set by World Athletics for the ‘Elite’ label event. As planned, Maybank Marathon 2023 will involve the participation of 12 international elite athletes. Furthermore, the organizing committee has conducted inspections of the entire course route for Maybank Marathon 2023 and coordinated with the Government and security authorities of Bali Province.
Widya Permana, the Project Director of Maybank Marathon, stated, “The safety and well-being of all participants are our top priorities for every edition of the Maybank Marathon. Since the announcement of Maybank Marathon 2023 in January, the organizing committee has undertaken a series of preparations. This includes inspecting the running routes to ensure they are in optimal condition and meet the standards and certifications set by World Athletics. Additionally, various supporting aspects have been addressed to ensure that Maybank Marathon 2023 can take place safely and comfortably for all participants.”
Widya continued, on August 13th, the Road to Maybank Marathon training program was successfully held simultaneously in six cities: Jakarta, Medan, Bandung, Surabaya, Makassar, and Denpasar. The Road to Maybank Marathon program commenced on May 14th and was attended by over 5,000 running community participants from these cities. The training covered a range of activities including short-distance and long-distance running sessions, strength training, running clinics, and education about nutrition and rest times, all guided by experienced coaches in sports recovery and mobility. This training is part of ensuring the safety, especially the physical readiness of runners, to participate in the race.
This year, Maybank Marathon will deploy 45 pacers equipped with First Aid Emergency CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) skills, 850 marshals, and around 180 paramedic staff. In addition, there will be 30 ambulance units consisting of 12 ambulance vehicles, 17 motorcycle ambulances, and one ambulance equipped with Emergency Room standards along the race route.
The Maybank Marathon 2023 committee still enforces the ‘You Register, You Run’ rule, which obliges all participants to collect their race packs under the registered name and does not allow representation. Likewise, race slots cannot be transferred, and participants are only allowed to run in the selected category. The implementation of ‘You Register, You Run’ is to prioritize the safety and security of runners during the race. This year, Maybank Marathon will utilize face recognition technology to support the ‘You Register, You Run’ approach during the race pack collection process.
Before the Maybank Marathon 2023 race takes place on Sunday, August 27, 2023, participants can collect their race packs or Race Pack Collection (“RPC”) on August 25-26, 2023, at Taman Bhagawan, Tanjung Benoa, Bali.
“The race pack collection will be part of an entertainment festival featuring well-known performers in Indonesia, exhibition booths showcasing Maybank Indonesia’s sustainability programs, as well as sponsor product booths. Additionally, we will promote activities through the Maybank Interactive Lounge and utilize the Indonesian Standard Quick Response Code (QRIS) payment available on the M2U digital banking app to introduce Maybank Indonesia’s banking services to the participants,” Widya added.
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