RANAU: Sabah ultra runner Daved Simpat made a strong comeback to win the Cameron Ultra (CULTRA) 2026 100km race, defeating Japan’s Yutaro Yokouchi during the event’s 10th anniversary.
The Ranau-born Mount Kinabalu porter finished in 14 hours, 17 minutes and 14 seconds, beating 540 runners to reclaim the title he first won in 2018.
The victory marked an impressive return after Daved finished second in 2022, did not start in 2024 and recorded a Did Not Finish (DNF) in 2025.
Daved said he was grateful for the win and thanked his coaches, sponsors, family and supporters for their encouragement.
“It was a very tough race, but I came prepared because I knew the Cameron Ultra course from previous years,” he said.
The race turned into a close battle between Daved and Yokouchi on slippery, rain-soaked trails. Following his coach’s strategy, Daved stayed behind the Japanese runner for the first 50km before making his move in the second half to secure victory.
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Daved said the race was part of his preparation for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) Finals in Chamonix, France, at the end of August, where he will compete in the challenging 172km event.
He plans to race in a 35km trail event in Sabah on July 25 before focusing on the UTMB Finals. His team manager has also set a goal for him to break into the world’s top 30 ultra trail runners.
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