Automated external defibrillators (AED) will be carried by some medical personnel at KLSCM.
EMERGENCY medical services will be a key feature of Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2024 taking place this weekend.
The event will introduce enhanced safety measures by deploying 35 medical personnel along the half and full marathon routes.
The “Medic On The Run” initiative, a collaboration between Dirigo Events and Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, aims to provide quicker response to potential medical emergencies.
Some of these personnel will carry automated external defibrillators (AEDs) while running, allowing them to provide aid to runners, according to a press statement by Dirigo Events.
Medical staff in bright red uniforms will add a vibrant touch to the race while prioritising safety.
Two of the hospital’s emergency services specialists supporting the race also received their Race Emergency certification at a conference in Turkiye under the auspices of World Athletics.
“In our efforts to continuously raise the bar on the organisation of distance running events in Malaysia, we want to prioritise the health and safety of all our runners through the Medic On The Run programme,” said Dirigo Events director and KLSCM project director Rainer Biemans.
“We hope this will elevate our race emergency preparedness in accordance with international standards,” he added.
The 16th edition of the marathon will see a record 42,000 runners competing over two days on Oct 5 and 6.
The first day will feature the 5km, 10km and Kids Dash categories.
The full marathon and half marathon will take place on Sunday, with runners from all over the world in the fray.
The highlight will be the full marathon Malaysian Men category.
Six high-performance runners will battle for the title held by two-time consecutive champion Poo Vasanthan.
Familiar names like five-time KLSCM champion Muhaizar Mohamad and last year’s runner-up Nik Fakaruddin are among the top contenders.
“It’s great to see fresh new faces in contention for the full marathon Malaysian category title, which is a positive sign that we’re gradually building a larger pool of local talent in the marathon,” said Biemans.
In the full marathon Men Open category, Japan’s Keisuke Yokota will look to challenge Kenyan defending champion Kiprop Tonui.
The Malaysian Women’s Full Marathon category is also expected to be fiercely contested.
Defending champion Michelle Chua Khit Yeng will face strong competition from 2022 champion Noor Amelia as well as Tahira Najmunisaa, who finished second that year.
The “Run For A Reason” (RFAR) social initiative will remain an integral part of the event with funds raised for beneficiaries comprising Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, Hospis Malaysia, Kechara Soup Kitchen and Teach for Malaysia.
