The 13th edition of Borneo TMBT Ultra once again delivered some amazing trail running performances from a variety of runners. Hisashi Kitamura and Rejlen James scored their 11th and 10th career wins in ATM - which was especially sweet for the Japanese ‘Karate Kit’ after four consecutive second places in this event! On the 50km for women, we saw another Japanese runner, Akane Nemoto, grab her second ATM race win of the season, while the men’s race witnessed an outstanding achievement by young Filipino Godwin Mirar, who increasingly looks like ‘the real deal’ with a finish time of 5h18 - nine minutes faster than his idol John Ray Onifa two years ago!

Kitamura defeated the two home stars from Sabah, Milton Amat and Daved Simpat to finish in 13h37 for what is in practice a 109km long course. It was the second race win of the ATM season for the Karate Kit after Shiga Kogen 100 in Nagano in July, and the 11th ATM race win in total. In the morning, Kitamura still had to let Milton Amat go ahead by a few minutes, but by WS 5 he closed the gap and then started to apply pressure himself. Amat did not really relent, however, and by WS 11 he narrowed the gap down again by a few minutes. The 2019 scenario must have gone through Kitamura's head. Back then, he was also leading Amat into that cruel final section of 10km that goes consistently uphill to the finish line. At the time, Amat caught and overtook him. But not last Saturday. In fact, Kitamura still had the strength to increase the gap from 16 minutes to 28 minutes! He really wanted this victory, and now he can look ahead to the ATM Championship Final next month in Vietnam... to tick that other box: finally winning the ATM Championship.

Milton Amat settled for second place in 14h05. Not a bad time for him, actually, yet Kitamura was outstanding. Third on the podium was Willy Wilson, also from Sabah. A great effort by him, resulting in his first ATM podium. Daved SImpat had to be content with 4th place, ahead of Haziq Asyraf and Humberto Baeza. Jasni Bin Gandi took seventh and Vitus Daimi eighth. An important eighth for Vitus, as he just scores enough points to get into the Malaysian Top 5 in the ATM points ranking, which makes him qualified for the ATM Championship Final!

In the women’s 100km, it was indeed already the 10th ATM race victory for local Sabah star Rejlen James! She won TMBT 100 for the second time after 2023, leading from start to finish in a time of 20h55. Already certain of qualification for Team Malaysia in the upcoming ATM Championship Final, Rejlen James proved once more she is the benchmark in her country. With 10 victories, she also ties with her compatriot Tahira Najmunisaa in the all-time victory standings, one less than Indonesia's Ruth Theresia. Behind her back, the women's race actually had some major twists during the night. Dazeree Joannes looked set for second place for a long time, but then dropped out of the race at the last aid station with serious cramps! Adelinah Lintanga then looked like a certain number two, but she suddenly got caught and overtaken by India's long ultra specialist Ashwini Bhat. In fact, Ashwini even still came to within 38 minutes of Rejlen James! A textbook run by the Malnad Ultra ambassador, who was not even in the top ten at halfway distance. Her first ATM race podium, even though she herself claims to be aiming more to complete her Grandmaster Quest. Adelinah Lintanga grabbed third place at the end, yet another podium for her in an ATM race. And, Adelinah is qualified for Team Malaysia next month as well! Australia's Sarah Webb scored a nice fourth place. Pf Goh finished the race in fifth place. Then it was Joyce Yong Hie Ying and Philippines' Avegail Depanay. Cecille Wael had a break of more than four hours after halfway due to severe stomach cramps, but nevertheless finished the race later in 10th place, which was enough to get her inside the top five of the Filipino ATM points ranking.

Godwin Mirar from Bukidnon in Mindanao was the star of the 50km, as we mentioned above with a remarkable finishing time of 05:18:27! A new course record for Godwin Mirar, who led nearly the whole race despite getting attacked and bitten by a dog! Ever since Penang Sky Race last April, Godwin Mirar looks to have come of age and it would be a mistake not to count him among the top favourites for the ATM Championship title on 4 October, alongside Kitamura, defending champion Jeff Campbell and his two compatriots and former champions John Ray Onifa and Arnie Macaneras. Last Saturday, Mirar preceeded the surprisingly fast local newcomer Sheron Sariman (5h34) and Nepal's Arjun Rai Kulung (5h46). Sariman finished ahead of none other than Wilsen Singgin and Oswald Maikol. Already a new Sabahan star in the making? For Arjun Raui Kulung , it. was also an important result as he jumps into the Top 5 of the Nepal ATM ranking with today's 425 points and is therefore qualified again for the team in the upcoming Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam on 4 October. Singgin took fourth in 5h57 and Oswald Maikol fifth in 6h05. Singapore's Scott Pugh was an great sixth today, having overtaken Vietnam's Nguyen Phuong Hieu - winner of Gombak 100 - at the end. All of them also secured their sports for their country's team in the upcoming ATM Final. The same holds for Brunei's Shamsuleffandy Haji Sulaiman who finished in 8th place - great effort by him!

Akane Nemoto scored her 2nd ATM race win of the season and is qualified again for Team Japan next month at the Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai in Vietnam! Akane controlled the race throughout, but had to watch her rearview mirror nevertheless as France's Amale Omari stayed within 15 minutes of her. Her finish time was 8h05. The now Tokyo-based runner was a Top 10 Podium Finisher in the last two ATM Championship Finals. With two victories this season, she could even aspire more.

For Omari it was the first ATM race appearance. On the podium she was joined by SIngapore-based Filipino LJ Benitez, who took third place. Earlier this season, she was second in UTSG 50 as well. She can now join Team Singapore in the ATM Final next month, as she has stayed in the country for over ten years already. In fourth place came Korea's Hyunsung Chung. Satriana Sahirin and Xie Zhongyi took places five and six. Laslin Sarawi scored her best race result in quite a while with 7th place, just ahead of Nurul Emyra Fazira Isnariah Absi, who managet to score 20 points extra today and in so doing leapt ahead of Yvette Chong Mi Chin in the ATM points ranking. Yvette herself finished in 12th place today, scoring no points anymore.

Despite the fantastic performances by many runners, the 50km race concluded with a great deal of confusion and an anti-climax following TMBT’s meanwhile renowned post-race gear check. A practice, also performed by a few other organisers - especially in Malaysia - that is a known recipe for unnecessary controversy. Godwin Mirar and Arjun Rai Kulung were among those who received a 30-minute time penalty, which effectively relegated them both from rank 1 to 2 , and from rank 3 to 5. While the case of Arjun is hard to refute (not carrying minimum amount of water/liquids), Godwin Mirar’s is food for debate and his penalty seems harsh to the point of cruel. His infringement concerned the mandatory first-aid kit (plasters, anti-septic, gauze etc) that runners should carry. Only, he used it during the race following the aforementioned dog bite (for which he was also sent to hospital after the race). As it goes with plasters in tropical climates, they come off very quickly when running. So he had none to show at the finish. The runner, his entourage and many fans could not hide their confusion and disappointment , also because he was initially cleared by the staff at the gear check (it is not known why it was later still decided to give him a penalty). The case is a textbook example why Asia Trail Master has always recommended race organisers to perform gear checks before and during the race, but never after the finish line to avoid an anti-climax like this. The purpose of mandatory gear is not to carry a bunch of items from A to B, but to have them when needed and when urgent in the interest of one’s safety.

Borneo TMBT: Hisashi Kitamura and Godwin Mirar steal the show!