PETALING JAYA: Unstoppable Malaysian tower runner Soh Wai Ching successfully defended his Empire State Building Run-Up title in New York on Thursday.
After the race, the 28-year-old skyscraper celebrity declared he wanted to further challenge the human limit in stair racing.
“I want see how fast I can run up the stairs and set the benchmark for tower running.
“Just like the Empire State Building that symbolises ambition and dominance, my victories so far have been a result of optimism and resilience,” he told FMT after the race.
Wai Ching, the first Asian to win the Empire State Building Run-Up last year, remains the world No 1 after his latest triumph.
He wants to win the New York stair race 10 more times to better the feat of Suzy Walsham, the female tower runner from Australia who won it 10 times.
He is also bent on breaking the 19-year-old course record of nine minutes and 33 seconds by Australian Paul Crake.
“I want to be the one to break the record. I have a lot more to give and intend to keep the Jalur Gemilang flying high,” the sports science graduate said.
On Thursday, he was two seconds faster than last year, clocking 10 minutes and 44 seconds in the lung-busting race that covers a vertical distance of 1,050 feet (320m) over 86 floors and involves a climb up 1,576 steps.
The runner-up in the elite men’s division in the 44th edition of the annual event was Ryoji Watanabe of Japan (10:57) followed by Italian Fabio Ruga (11:19).
It was Wai Ching’s third victory in a week after top finishes at the US Bank Tower in Los Angeles on Sept 30 and Seattle’s Space Needle tower on Oct 2.
Today, he will scurry up the One Tampa City Center in Florida, hoping his wish of four straight wins for his 28th birthday on Sept 28 will be fulfilled.
Malaysia Towerrunning Association president Ravinder Singh said the sport was gradually becoming established in Malaysia, largely due to the efforts of Wai Ching and other promising stair climbers.
He said the fact that corporate sponsorship was increasing was a sign that tower running was being seen as a serious sport in its own right.
He added that tower running should be a sport in the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in 2027 and that the Merdeka 118 tower, the world’s second tallest building, will be an ideal venue.
Commenting on Wai Ching’s exploits in the US, Ravinder said: “He’s focused, consistent and an excellent athlete who carries the country’s name proudly all the time.
“He is also helping the next generation of Malaysian tower runners to ensure we dominate the sport for many years.”
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