At last, we have the 10-year-anniversary of Borneo TMBT (‘The Most Beautiful Thing’) around Mt Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia this weekend. Cancelled twice due to covid, it’s been a rough two years for the event organisers of this Southeast Asian trail classic, and we are all delighted it’s back on, and with a large and attractive start list as well. The main event is of course the 109 km race, but for the first time runners will also score ATM Championship points on the equally competitive 50k race distance this year. Still, the eyes of most people will be on the meanwhile popular dual between local hero Milton Amat, winner in 2019 and 2017, and Hisashi Kitamura, second three years ago after a fantastic fight. The Japanese Karate Kit was in the lead at the last checkpoint, but had no answer when Milton Amat found an extra gear on the long moderate uphill climb to the finish line. Beforehand, Kitamura had announced he “would beat Milton in his home race”, which of course enhanced the spectacle for the Sabahan running communities and all the fans. This year, Kitamura has proven to be even better as a trail runner and has naturally again stated that TMBT is marked red hot in his race agenda of 2022. During the course of the season, Kitamura has proven to be more confident on technical trail courses, and running smarter and more tactical when the situation permits. But. There is a ‘but’. In August, Kitamura showed signs of fatigue, both physically and mentally, at the Punisher in Philippines and at the Jagoi Heritage Run in Sarawak, an ATM candidate race. In fact, the Jagoi 50k race course suited him perfectly, and yet it was … Milton Amat who won the race! Milton has been running exceptionally well this year, too, and clearly has increased his general running pace on flatter trails. The two went head-to-head until the finish at BUTM 100 in March half a year ago (Milton won after Kitamura got penalised for mandatory gear infringements), but since then it would appear that Milton has kept his top form and Kitamura’s has been slightly going backwards since winning Cameron Ultra 100 in mid-July. Was that planned and deliberate to take the edge off for several weeks? Kitamura is being coached, so it is certainly possible that we may see the very best Kitamura again this Saturday. And that would make for a superbly exciting race, which everyone can follow via our GPS live tracking platform (link https://live.asiatrailmaster.com/tmbt2022/).

There are of course other top Asian runners on the 109 km start list. To begin with the other Sabahan aces, Daved Simpat and Wilsen Singgin. Simpat has been running much better and consistent than before the covid crisis and has remained injury-free. A former winner of TMBT, can he score an upset tomorrow using all his experience and, who knows, his friendship with Amat should the latter have an off-day? The youngest of the Sabahan trail stars, Wilsen Singgin, has not yet shown the level of speed that is probably necessary to win a race like TMBT. But who knows? Singgin was an impressive winner of MMTF mid-December last year, and if the trails are indeed more wet, muddy and technical than usual following extensive rainfall of late- according to the race director- , Singgin might be in his element here.

From peninsular Malaysia, Akmal Adzmi is a podium contender, and so is Singapore’s Deric Lau, who was second in UT Chiang Mai just three weeks ago. Two other expats should be considered: Mark Steacy from Ireland living in Kuching, and Yakov Kozlov, Russian living in Kuala Lumpur. Steacy ran great behind Amat and Kitamura to third place in the previously mentioned Jagoi 50k race, and Kozlov is a known fast guy from the MKRC team.

In the women’s 109km, we can expect a battle for the victory between Sally Yap, this year’s new name in Malaysia, and Izzah Hazirah. Other podium contenders are on paper Isabelle Bedard, local hero Adelinah Lintanga, Laslin Sarawi and Siti Hajar Razali.

On the 50k start list, we find some big names of runners who have already scored wins in ATM races this season. Mohammad Affindi even already has two victories on his record. He will be up against Sapirin Suming, Malachy Kirwan and Moo Sat, but also Pierre Victor Morales, French but based in KL from the aforementioned MKRC Team. And in the women’s 50k, Singapore-based Belgian Vanja Cnops will aim to get another ATM points race victory after BTR in Bali in May. Cameron Ultra 100 race winner Vincere Zeng is also on the start list, and so is TMBT’s arguably best-known ambassador: Jassica, aka Jess, Lintanga.