Adelinah Lintanga and Moo Sat fastest in Kokol Ultra

For the first time runners could score a Grandmaster Quest point at Kokol Ultra, the annual event in Sabah, Malaysia - an ATM Candidate Race already before. Over the years, Kokol had kept growing and adding more offroad sections to its course map, so no fewer than 1200 participants turned up last weekend. To the extent the organisational team got a little overwhelmed and some heavy downpours of rain did not make it any easier.

The flagship race was of course the 70km - the category in which finishers could score a point for their Grandmaster Quest. Fastest runner was well-known Syahrul Neyzam Sukasdi, who completed the course in 10h23. That was well-ahead of Azman Salama and Samry Sainin (ATM Finalist for Malaysia earlier this month). Interestingly, three veteran runners thus scored overall podium

The women’s 70km race actually was super exciting to follow. ATM Finalists last month, Maria Jocelyn Manalo Tugna for Philippines and Harlin Richard for Malaysia, as well as Keziah Marieah Loreto looked like they were going to contest the race victory. However, 2-star Grandmaster Adelinah Lintanga suddenly switched on her turbo engine towards the end and overtook the others to claim a brilliant win, her first in a while. Lintanga dug deep and crossed the finish line in heavy rain in a time of 13h01. Harlin Richard was second one-and-a-half minute later, followed by Maria Jocelyn Manalo Tugna. Adelinah’s sister Jessica finished tenth in her first Grandmaster distance in ATM since 2019. Both Lintanga sisters now have 14 GM points, meaning one to go before they ‘graduate’ as 3-star Silver Grandmasters.

Malaysians still have another chance to score a Grandmaster Quest point in their home country this year. At the end of November, they can do so by finishing the 70km race at Trail des Lenggeng in Negeri Sembilan, not too far from KLIA.