"Age Is Just A Number" — 88-Year-Old Malaysian Finishes 10KM Marathon Under 90 Minutes
"I want to be this consistent as I age like this!"
By Wayne Garreth — 04 Oct 2022, 10:56 AM
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PJ Half Marathon returned on 25 September, and was an absolute hit
Organised by MBPJ and the Selangor Sports Association (POS), the PJ Half Marathon kicked off at Dataran Petaling Jaya.
Expanding their efforts and taking on a brand new feat, the event featured a variety of race distances, encouraging a slew of individuals to test out their athletic abilities no matter their readiness. Among the distances included a 3km, 10km, 21km, and 30km track.
The race was open to people of all age groups, with those aged five and above being able to opt for the 3km fun run, while a special category was also held for senior veterans from the age of 56 and above.
However, one very special man rose to the occasion for the 10km race, proving to everyone that age is just a number
A Facebook post by sports photography service, ActionPix Malaysia, tugged at the heart strings of many, highlighting 88-year-old Ong Kim Hwa, who took part in the marathon and blew his competitors away!
"Most senior participant in PJ Half Marathon 2022, perhaps?" began the post. "Uncle Ong Kim Hwa, 88 years [old] from Seremban finished 10km category in [one hour, 25 minutes, and 32 seconds]. Awesome!"
Impressing his sports peers and fellow marathon runners with his time of completion alone, the accomplishment is made even more impressive by the harsh conditions Uncle Ong weathered through, as heavy rain engulfed the surrounding of Dataran PJ for the majority of the race.
Here are some pictures of other runners braving the storm during their marathon:
Other racers at the PJ Half Marathon 2022.
Image via ActionPix Malaysia/ PJ Half Marathon (Facebook)
Other racers at the PJ Half Marathon 2022.
Image via ActionPix Malaysia/ PJ Half Marathon (Facebook)
Capturing the attention and hearts of thousands, Uncle Ong's photo on Facebook has since received almost 30,000 likes
Comments poured in from fellow Malaysians who celebrated PJ's newest sports celeb.
Others said Uncle Ong is a true inspiration to them. "Wishing you many more years of good health, and keep on running!" wrote one person. "I want to be this consistent as I age like this. Steady," remarked another.
Opting for a more comedic route, one person even made a humorous comparison to themselves, "I am in my mid-30s and I couldn't even finish 3km. What a shame!" they said with a laugh emoji.
