BUTM: Simpat back on the Sabah throne/Filipino 1-2 in women's 50k

The 2025 edition of Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon goes into the history books as an atypical one. A lot of rainfall preceeding the event created more mud, river crossings and slippery slopes than usually in this event. Technical terrain requires proper trail running skills and experience, and it was perhaps no coincidence therefore that the 100k and 50k race winners bulk of exactly those two assets. Most eye-catching was the 50k victory of Daved SImpat, ahead of younger and fellow-Sabahans Wilsen Singgin and Milton Amat. Since last year, Simpat has again been showing great running form and suddenly is again the man-to-beat in Sabah after some five-six years operating in the shadow of Milton Amat. Even on 50k courses! One could even argue that recently it has been Milton who is suffering from a dip in performance level. To his own credit, Wilsen Singgin continues to prove that he still has upward margins. Leading the race early on, and battling with Simpat until the very end, Singgin may finally be ready to make that last step up the competitive ladder. At the finish in Kiulu, the gap was just a minute. Milton came in third, but a full 25 minutes later and just ahead of the surprising newcomer Vitus Daimi.

In the women’s 50km, Aggy Sabanal, the 2018 ATM Vice-Champion behind Ruth Theresia, scored her first ATM race win since July 2022 (MUSPO100). Sabanal ran a very strong race, also aided by the treacherous conditions to finish 7th overall and about 34 minutes ahead of another Filipino runner, Ritzy Amor - also the overall points leader in the current ATM Championship ranking. Boxer/trailrunner Ritzy Amor ran the best race of the season herself and second place is her best result and second podium after third in Broder 50 last October. In third place, we had Lolita Lintanga preceeding her elder sister Jess by 18 minutes. That’s one place better than a year ago for Lolita. Last year’s winner Shamiera Auther was unable to come to terms with the slippery terrain and had to settle for fifth place last weekend.

On the 100km long ultra, both race winners were the same as a year ago: local stars Gustin Tiam and Rejlen James. Both were pretty much in control throughout, although Rejlen in particular felt some pressure from Adelinah Lintanga, who took a quicker start than usual. The result was that both Rejlen and Adelinah were always comfortably inside the overall top ten of the 100k race. Closest to Gustin Tiam was Moo Sat, who did well to finish second ahead of Philippines’ Kik Suello, the number 7 in the ATM Championship Final last year found the course of TMBT more to his liking. Lynda Marylyn completed the women’s podium - just like last year.

The next Malaysian points race event takes place in Sarawak: Silabur 100 on 12 April.