KLSCM inks partnership renewal with Standard Chartered
Announces new Gold Sponsors, finish point and race categories
KUALA LUMPUR (16 April 2025) – The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) is set to return to the Kuala Lumpur city centre for its 17th edition on 4 and 5 October 2025. Runners taking part in this year’s races can expect exciting changes and developments.
Earlier today, Dirigo Events, the owner and organiser of the KLSCM, announced that Standard Chartered Malaysia has renewed its title sponsorship of the country’s premier distance running event for four more years. The partnership will extend into 2028.
It was also revealed that global sports brand ASICS and Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur (PHKL) have signed on as Gold sponsors with naming rights to the Half Marathon and 10km respectively. The Half Marathon will now be known as the ASICS Half Marathon, while the 10km race will be called the Pantai KL 10km. ASICS is also the official footwear and apparel partner for the KLSCM.
Rainer Biemans, the Director of Dirigo Events and Project Director of the KLSCM, divulged the news along with several other much anticipated updates at a press conference held at Stadium Merdeka this morning. Also present at the event were Mak Joon Nien, CEO of Standard Chartered Malaysia; Erica Lam, CEO of Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Regional Chief Executive Officer (Central), IHH Healthcare Malaysia and Boon Tib Soom Nik, Country Manager, ASICS Malaysia.
Biemans disclosed that KLSCM 2025 will also be moving its start and finish points from its regular venue of Dataran Merdeka, as the area is undergoing significant upgrading and maintenance work in the second half of the year. This year’s race will now start within in the Kuala Lumpur city centre (actual venue to be announced soon) and finish at the iconic and historical Stadium Merdeka.
“We are delighted to be able to continue this synergistic partnership with Standard Chartered for another chapter. Our shared values and commitment along with the growth of running culture in the country has seen us connect with many running communities over the years and we look forward to taking Malaysia’s premier running event to even higher levels,” said Biemans.
“While we constantly encourage running as a way to stay healthy and fit, we feel that it offers so much more. Running is a transformative process on many levels that challenges runners to set and meet new goals. The KLSCM is one such platform for runners of all levels to push themselves to raise their individual bars, overcome limits and become the champions that they are,” he added.
“Standard Chartered is proud to extend our title sponsorship of KLSCM for another four years. As we celebrate our 150th anniversary in Malaysia this year, this renewed partnership reflects our enduring commitment to the Marathon’s success as well as the nation – underscoring our promise to be Here For Good. With Malaysia assuming the role of ASEAN Chair, 2025 presents an even greater opportunity to elevate Malaysia’s visibility in the region. The Marathon serves as a unifying platform to showcase our spirit of inclusivity and sustainability by bringing participants from all walks of life from across the globe through the universal language of sport.” said Mak.
Eligible Standard Chartered Priority Banking clients will enjoy a complimentary running slot when they deposit and invest with the Bank and stand a chance to win a trip to French Riviera.
This year’s event also sees the introduction of the Run Club Challenge and State Youth Challenge. The Run Club Challenge is a category specifically for running clubs in Malaysia where they may send teams of four runners to compete in the Full Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon and Pantai KL 10km. Participation in this inaugural race is by invite only where clubs must meet certain criteria.
For the State Youth Challenge, young Malaysian runners aged 15 to 24 years old will be able to represent a Malaysian state of their choice in the Full Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon and Pantai KL 10km – the prize money will go to the state athletics associations for their youth programmes.
KLSCM 2024 saw the running event reaching new milestones including a record number of participants (close to 42,000 runners), incorporating the Medic on the Run programme, and surpassing the RM1 million mark in funds raised for charity through the Run For A Reason (RFAR) programme.
The Medic on the Run programme which was introduced in 2024 to provide medical assistance on-the-go to runners immediately in case of any accidents or emergencies during the race will continue this year. It will see a team of medical professionals, which includes doctors, nurses and paramedics, running alongside the participants, equipped with portable AED machines and First Aid Packs.
As a race that race that chooses to make a difference, the KLSCM has always included a platform for runners to transform their every step into a powerful catalyst for change by raising funds for causes close to their hearts. At the heart of the event lies the RFAR charity
Initiative, which has played an important role in working with the running community in a collective effort to raise funds for deserving charities.
To date, the running community has contributed close to RM9 million in funds through this platform to help the charity partners make a positive difference in Malaysian society. The beneficiary charities for 2025 are Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, Hospis Malaysia, Kechara Soup Kitchen and Teach for Malaysia.
Registration for KLSCM 2025 opens tomorrow – priority registration will run from 17 to 21 April while the RFAR and the Corporate Challenge sign-ups will run from 17 April to 31 July. Priority registration is open to runners who have competed in at least eight previous editions, as well as faster runners who met the required finishing times in 2023 or 2024. Public registration opens on 22 April and closes on 31 July or when race slots sell out.
KLSCM is also continuing its sustainability journey and working on being a greener race. Ongoing efforts including reducing its carbon footprint and waste through the use of refillable bottles for water, as well as composting the enormous amounts of fruits like bananas, pears and apples given to runners, and creating awareness about the importance of recycling and waste reduction.
KLSCM 2025 will also see the return of official partners 100 Plus, Counterpain, High 5 Nutrition, Seiko and TudungPeople. The event is also supported by venue host Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Malaysia Athletics, the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Police.
