Selangor Honours The Man Who Put Malaysia On Top—Of The World’s Skyscrapers
Malaysian tower runner Soh Wai Ching has been awarded the Bintang Kecemerlangan Sukan Selangor (B.K.S.), a prestigious state honour recognizing his dominance in vertical marathon racing.
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Elite tower runner Soh Wai Ching has been awarded the Bintang Kecemerlangan Sukan Selangor (B.K.S.) in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the niche sport of tower running.
The honour was conferred by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, in conjunction with His Royal Highness’s birthday celebrations.
It follows Soh’s latest victory at the CTF Finance Center International Vertical Marathon 2025 in Guangzhou, China, which cemented his position as the world’s number one tower runner.
The B.K.S. is awarded to athletes who have represented Selangor and achieved international success over at least five years.
Recipients are limited to five individuals at any given time, with a maximum of 100 people in total.
Unlike some state honours, the B.K.S. does not confer a Datuk title, but recognises sustained sporting excellence at the highest level.
From New York to Kuala Lumpur: A Champion’s Journey
Soh’s credentials are impressive by any measure.
He currently holds the world number one ranking in tower running—a position he first achieved in April 2022.
The 31-year-old maintained the top spot throughout 2022 and 2023, and for most of 2024, losing it in November 2024 before reclaiming it a year later.
His trophy cabinet includes overall champion titles at the Asia & Oceania Tower Running Championships at Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur (2025), the World Tower Running Championships in Taipei (2024), three consecutive Empire State Building Run-Up victories in New York from 2021 to 2023 and the 10th Canton Tower Run in China.
He has also dominated locally, winning four consecutive Malaysian Towerrunning National Championships from 2022 to 2025 at venues including Komtar Tower, PJ Tower, the NCT 6000ft Run Up at Genting Wyndham Ion Majestic, and KL Tower.
The Merdeka 118 victory this year holds particular significance: Soh conquered The Sky Race there in a blistering 15 minutes and 37 seconds—a record time that underscores both the building’s architectural prominence and his athletic dominance.
Building A Legacy Beyond The Podium
Soh, founder of the Malaysian Towerrunning Association (MTA), is also a Guinness World Record holder, with records set in 2020 and 2025.
His latest record, set at One Utama shopping mall, saw him achieve the Farthest Simulated Distance Climbed on a Step Climber in One Hour—a remarkable 1.788 kilometres.
Tower running – a sport that offers a fair chance for participants regardless of body size, as effective training can level the playing field – remains a relatively niche discipline compared to traditional athletics.
Still, athletes like Soh have been instrumental in raising much-needed awareness and exposure for the sport, helping to elevate its profile both locally and internationally.
@mastowerrunner 19th July 2025, 2pm, Centre Court, Old Wing, One Utama Shopping Mall, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia World & Malaysia Book of Record Attempt Farthest simulated distance climbed on a stair machine in one hour (male) Machine used: STEPR XL (22.86cm per step), max speed 190 spm Hosted by: Fitness Concept Malaysia Officiate by: Malaysia Book of Records and Malaysia Towerrunning Association Challenger: Soh Wai Ching, World Champion Towerrunner (Born in 1994) from Petaling Jaya. Four other Malaysia Book of Records: 1. Fastest Time to Climb the Height of Petronas Twin Towers on a Stair Climb Machine (451.9m) • Current record: 16 min 16 sec (Soh Wai Ching) • Benchmark for attempt: 15 min 10 sec 2. Fastest Time to Climb the Height of Merdeka 118 on a Stair Machine (678.9m) • Benchmark for attempt: 22 min 50 sec (new record category) 3. Fastest Vertical Kilometre Climb on a Stair Machine • Current record: 35 min 37 sec (Soh Wai Ching) • Benchmark for attempt: 34 min 30 sec 4. Longest Vertical Climb Distance on a Stair Machine in One Hour • Current record: 1.694 km (Soh Wai Ching) • Benchmark for attempt: 1.72 km Current World Record – 1.748km #WorldChampion #WorldRecordAttempt #ChallengeTheHumanLimit #FitnessConceptMY #FitnessBeginsAtHome #STEPR #PetalingJayaCityCouncil #MalaysiaTowerrunningAssociation #OBriensIrishSandwichMalaysia ♬ original sound – Towerrunning World Champion
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