The Penang Bridge International Marathon will join the Abbott World Marathon Majors ranking system, allowing runners to qualify for the world’s top races.
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM) will gain global recognition from 2026 after being admitted into the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group World Rankings system – a milestone that strengthens its standing and opens new pathways for runners.
The inclusion means runners at PBIM will, for the first time, be able to use their results to gain entry into the world’s most prestigious races, marking a significant milestone for Malaysia’s road racing scene.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the recognition elevates PBIM’s international standing and strengthens its appeal to both local and foreign runners.
“Runners who complete in PBIM can use their result to submit for participation in the top seven major marathons in the world.
“Through the Abbott global marathon ecosystem, runners from around the world track their marathon achievements and pursue milestone recognitions across races that meet internationally recognised standards,” he said at the launch yesterday.
With the recognition taking effect this year, PBIM will become a double-recognised marathon – holding both certification from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and inclusion in the Abbott World Marathon Majors framework.
The AIMS certification ensures the race’s full marathon distance of 42.195km meets international standards, a prerequisite for global recognition, rankings and qualification pathways linked to major races.
In a further push to raise standards, Wong said PBIM 2026 will introduce new challenge categories for both full and half marathons, aimed at competitive runners.
“Participants in the challenge category will be eligible for official prize money and the categories will also implement more competitive cut-off times to ensure a higher level of race performance.”
Participation in these categories will be limited to attract elite and serious runners while maintaining a high level of competition.
“The introduction of these categories reflects our intention to position PBIM not only as a mass participation event but also as a race that can attract more professional and elite runners to compete in Penang.”
Beyond elite ambitions, Wong noted that Penang’s running culture has grown steadily in recent years, supported by clubs, community races and structured training initiatives.
Programmes such as race clinics and the “Road to PBIM” campaign will continue to support runners in their preparation.
The marathon is scheduled for Dec 13 at the Penang Second Bridge, with Batu Kawan retained as the race hub following its relocation to Aspen Vision City – a move that has improved race organisation and created a more integrated environment for participants.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said organisers are targeting between 23,000 and 25,000 participants, similar to last year’s turnout of 23,000.
While some international marathons draw far larger crowds, he said Penang would prioritise quality over scale.
“I think we should stay at a level we are comfortable with and give the best experience to participants.”
PBIM continues to anchor Penang’s sports tourism push, generating economic activity for hotels, restaurants, transport services and retail outlets as thousands of runners travel to the state with family and supporters.
Also present at the launch were Aspen Group managing director Ir A. Anilarasu, Klippa Shopping Centre head of brand experience and communications Low Kiu Fung and IHH Healthcare Malaysia chief executive officer Dr Kamal Amzan.
The Sun Malaysia
