The Course: Tanjung Aru to the City Mosque, Along the Coast
The 21 km starts and finishes at Padang Merdeka in the city centre and is really two out-and-backs [1]. Runners head south first, past Wisma Kewangan and the Federal Building along Jalan KK Lama, and turn at the Tanjung Aru Beach roundabout. The way back runs up the coast in a green lane past Gleneagles, Imago and the Marriott, then through the city on Jalan Coastal, Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Haji Saman, past Wisma Merdeka, Suria Sabah and Jesselton Point [1].
The second half follows the sea north to the roundabout at the City Mosque, Masjid Bandaraya, and comes back the same way to Padang Merdeka [1]. It is a different route from the Borneo International Marathon's half marathon in May [2].
The course is flat. On the organiser's elevation profile it stays between about 8 m and 20 m, with two short rises to about 20 m, near km 2 and km 12.5 [1]. The route maps in the runner's guide carry the World Athletics and AIMS certified-course badge [3].
The 11 km is a single out-and-back north from Padang Merdeka along Jalan KK Bypass and Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, past Tanjung Lipat and Taman Awam Teluk Likas, to a U-turn at Bulatan Pasir by the City Mosque; its profile sits at about 10 m, with only small bumps [4].
The Weather: 23°C to 24°C and Very Humid
Kota Kinabalu airport, about 5 km south-west of the start, recorded 24°C, a dew point of 22°C, 89% humidity and a 5-knot wind at the 4.30am start [5]. It then cooled slightly: 23°C with 88% to 94% humidity from 5.30am to 7am, when most half marathoners were on the course [5]. It was back to 24°C at 7.30am and 26°C with 79% humidity at the 8am cut-off [5].
A dew point of 22°C means sweat evaporates slowly, but with a light breeze and temperatures of 23°C to 24°C, the 2026 race was run in mild air for the tropics. A runner finishing inside three hours, by 7.30am, ran the whole way at 23°C to 24°C; the warm-up only came in the last half-hour before the cut-off [2][5].
Water Stations, Cut-offs and What Finishers Get
On the 21 km map there is a water station every 2.5 km, from Wisma Kewangan bus stop at 2.5 km to Tanjung Aru rugby field at 5 km, Wisma Perkeso at 7.5 km and the Marriott at 10 km, then JQ Central at 12.5 km and 20 km and Tanjung Lipat at 15 km and 17.5 km. Each one has a medic [1]. The 11 km has two stations at Tanjung Lipat, each passed on the way out and on the way back, at 1.7 km and 8.3 km and at 3.5 km and 6.5 km [4].
The cut-offs are strict: 3 hours 30 for the 21 km (8am) and 2 hours for the 11 km (7.30am), and runners outside them are swept back to the start [2]. Finishers inside the limit get a medal and an online certificate; only half-marathon finishers inside 3 hours 30 get the finisher tee. Every entrant gets an event tee and a goodie bag [2]. There were pacers for every 15 minutes from 1:45 to 3:30 [3].
The Roads: Mostly One Lane
Only the streets around the start were fully closed. City hall closed Jalan Dewan, Lorong Dewan and Jalan Padang from 4am to 8am on race day, and closed one lane at a time on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Mat Salleh, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Jalan Coastal, Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Haji Saman and Jalan KK Bypass [6]. That covers much of the 21 km route [1], so for most of the race there is traffic in the next lane.
The 21 km flag-off was at 4.30am and the first finisher was expected at 5.45am [3]. With traffic in the next lane at that hour, stay inside the cones and wear something reflective.
Race Morning at Padang Merdeka
Half marathoners were asked to arrive at 3.30am, and 11 km runners at 4.40am [3]. City hall reported the mayor and the state assistant minister responsible for city hall flagging runners off at 5.30am; the programme shows that was the 11 km start, with the 21 km already an hour into its race [3][7]. The organiser's programme had the prize-giving at 7.15am and the bag drop closing at 8.30am [3].
There is no parking at Padang Merdeka itself, which city hall closed from 1am on the Friday to 9am on race day [6]. The runner's guide pointed runners to Gaya Street, Wisma Jubilee, Kampung Air, Bandaran and Sinsuran [3].
How Fast the Field Is
Arikchely Airyl Arikah won the 21 km in 1:18:59, from Azlan Kuste in 1:20:56 and Yannick Theriault in 1:21:16. Weiling Lai won the women's race in 1:31:02, ahead of Jing Jing Tiew in 1:36:35 and Hasnita binti Asis in 1:38:30 [8]. Tenth place was 1:24:38 for men and 1:46:25 for women [8]. The 11 km was won in 39:58 by Romieo Gomboh and in 49:06 by Sharlene Fioney Sonny [8].
Prize money is spread wide. In the 21 km, the top five in each of eight categories, open, junior veteran (31 to 40), veteran (41 to 50) and senior veteran (51 and over) for men and women, won RM1,300, RM800, RM500, RM300 and RM200; the 11 km paid RM600 down to RM100 [3][9]. Only finishers inside the cut-off qualify, and winners had to report to the winners' corner by 6.45am [3][2].
The age bands matter. The top three women were all in the 31 to 40 category, and a woman in the 51-and-over category was fifth overall in 1:42:50 [8]. On the 2026 results, a woman under 1:45 or a man under 1:25 had a real chance of a cash place in an age category.
Race Weekend Logistics
The 2026 race was run with city hall for Kota Kinabalu's 26th City Day, and drew more than 4,000 runners, with entrants from the UK, Hong Kong, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, the United States and Italy [7]. The organiser, the Kinabalu Running Club, said the half marathon sold out within two weeks of registration opening [3]. The 21 km cost RM120 to RM160 and the 11 km RM100 to RM130, depending on when you entered [10].
Race packs were collected at Dewan Serbaguna Masyarakat Luyang on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 February, 10am to 6pm, with a sports expo; no packs were issued on race morning [3][11]. Postage was offered within Malaysia only [2]. Entries cannot be refunded or transferred, you cannot change category, and bib swapping means disqualification [2].
Should You Enter the 2027 Race?
Yes, if you want a flat, fast half marathon in mild air for the tropics, with water every 2.5 km and a city holiday around it. It also suits age-group racers: with prizes five deep in four age bands for each sex, a good club runner has a chance at cash.
Think twice if you need closed roads, or if you would struggle to break 3 hours 30, which is enforced with a sweep.
The 2027 race is on Sunday 31 January, eight days earlier in the calendar, from Padang Merdeka [12][13]. The 21 km again starts at 4.30am with 3 hours 30, and the shorter race becomes a 10.5 km at 5.30am with 2 hours [14]. Entry fees for the 21 km are RM120 to RM190 and for the 10.5 km RM100 to RM150 [14]. Race packs are to be collected on 29 and 30 January, at a venue not yet announced, and the 2027 route maps had not been published; the site still showed the 2026 maps [14][15].
Nobody from this site ran the race. This review draws on the organiser's runner's guide, route maps, race information and registration pages, city hall's reports, the results, and airport weather records.