TAIPING – Iceland’s Kristjan Chapman intends to make Malaysia his home base for the next few years after an emotional victory in the men’s 100km at the 2025 Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB (MYUT).
The 26-year-old, who lives in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, said he plans to remain in the country for “three or four years”, balancing life as a competitive runner with work as a personal running coach.
“I’m like a half-time athlete and half-time coach. I train people one-on-one, create running schedules and do strength training. I’m not going anywhere soon, so if anyone wants to race me, I’m around,” he said with a grin after his breakthrough performance over the weekend in Taiping.
Chapman claimed the prestigious MY100 crown on his race debut, completing the punishing 96.7km course – which featured two climbs of Maxwell Hill and 4,890m of elevation gain – in 11 hours 39 minutes 26 seconds. He finished ahead of China’s Bai Xing Zhi (11:51:51) and Japan’s Kanta Mizutani (12:14:56).
The win also secured him an automatic place at the 2026 UTMB World Series Finals (CCC: Courmayeur–Champex–Chamonix) in France, an opportunity he described as “awesome”.
“This year itself has been big, but I think next year will be even bigger. I really can’t wait for next year to see what the competition will be like there,” he said.
Chapman admitted he choked up after the race when he called his father, who also lives in Kuala Lumpur but was unable to attend.
“My dad thought I had withdrawn and was super worried. When I told him I’d won, he said he was so proud of me. With all the adrenaline going, I just got choked up,” he revealed.
Despite the emotional high, Chapman is already considering a return to defend his crown in 2026.
“It would be interesting to see who else turns up at the start line. The field was very competitive this year, so I’d love to come back and test myself again,” he said.
The Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB attracted nearly 3,000 runners from 64 countries, with participants braving humid night conditions and scorching daytime heat through Taiping’s ancient rainforests and historic railway tunnels.
Chapman’s triumph not only highlighted his endurance but also underscored Malaysia’s growing reputation as a hub for world-class trail running – a scene he now proudly calls home. — September 28, 2025
Fastest Overall
MY100
Male
1. Kristjan Chapman (Iceland): 11:39:26s
2. Bai Xing Zhi (China): 11:51:51s
3. Kanta Mizutani (Japan): 12:14:56s
Best-placed Malaysian: (4th: Sua Yih Huan (Malaysia): 14:02:57s
Female
1. Jiang Wenli (China): 15:11:33s
2. Mika Taniguchi (Japan): 15:32:42s
3. So Kit Ying (Hong Kong): 16:29:42s
Best-placed Malaysian: (5th: Rejlen James (Malaysia): 18:40:40s
MY50
Male
1. Luo Tao (China): 4:56:53s
2. Yang Jianjian (China): 4:57:11s
3. Wu Erqing (China): 4:57:12s
Best-placed Malaysian: (5th: Maikol Oswald (Malaysia): 5:45:56s
Female
1. Wang Liping (China): 6:08:19s
2. Xiang Fuzhou (China): 6:10:38s
3. Zhou Xiaoxiao (China): 6:30:27s
Best-placed Malaysian: (14th: Natahsya Soon (Malaysia): 9:18:32s
MY25
Male
1. Arikah Arikchely Ariyl (Malaysia): 2:29:24s
2. D. Siva Kumar (Malaysia): 2:52:21s
3. Bryan Yong Yeoh Zhi (Malaysia) – 2:56:58
Female
1. Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid (Malaysia): 3:33:01s
2. Ursula Adams (Australia): 3:45:29s
3. Cathi Wong Kong Yuk (Hong Kong): 3:48:39s
— September 28, 2025