Malaysia Climbs To World No. 4 In Towerrunning Rankings As Oregeon Tower Run Malaysia Series Launched

KUALA LUMPUR, June, 2026 – Malaysia has achieved a major milestone in international towerrunning after climbing to world No. 4 in the latest national rankings released by the Towerrunning World Association in May 2026.

The latest ranking places Malaysia behind only Japan, China and Poland, after the country moved ahead of Italy in the global standings. The achievement marks another important step for Malaysia in a sport that continues to grow rapidly at both elite and grassroots levels.

The Malaysia Towerrunning Association said the result further strengthens Malaysia’s reputation as one of the leading towerrunning nations in the world, despite operating with limited funding and resources.

In the same announcement, MTA also confirmed a strategic nationwide collaboration with Oregeon Academy Sdn Bhd to organise around 10 towerrunning races across Malaysia between 2026 and 2027 under the Oregeon Tower Run Malaysia Series.

MTA president Ravinder Singh described the country’s rise to world No. 4 and the launch of the national race series as major milestones for Malaysian towerrunning. He said the achievement showed that the sport is entering a new phase of growth in the country.

The development is especially significant because towerrunning remains a niche but highly demanding sport. Athletes compete by racing up staircases in tall buildings, requiring exceptional endurance, leg strength, lung capacity and mental discipline.

Malaysia’s rise in the rankings has been strongly supported by the continued dominance of national star Soh Wai Ching, who remains the men’s world champion and world No. 1. His international success has helped raise the profile of the sport in Malaysia and inspired more local athletes to enter competitive towerrunning.

Beyond Soh, Malaysia now has five athletes ranked inside the world top 30, showing that the country’s progress is no longer dependent on one athlete alone. In the men’s category, Muhammad Hazim Zuhairi Bin Azahari is ranked world No. 10, while Chee Choon Chow is ranked No. 27.

In the women’s category, Michele Tan Bee Kiang is ranked world No. 12, while Valerie Sarah Ong is ranked No. 23. These rankings highlight Malaysia’s growing depth across both men’s and women’s towerrunning events.

One of the most exciting developments is the emergence of 14-year-old Raisya Adelea from Kota Bharu, who made her debut in the world rankings at No. 50 following recent performances. MTA said she has the potential to break into the world top 20 within the next 12 months if her development continues strongly.

Raisya’s rise is important because it shows the future potential of Malaysian towerrunning. Her entry into the global rankings at such a young age suggests that the country is beginning to build a stronger pipeline of young athletes capable of competing internationally.

The launch of the Oregeon Tower Run Malaysia Series is expected to further support this development. By creating more official races across the country, local athletes will have more opportunities to compete, gain ranking points and improve their performance in a structured environment.

The race series will feature several major venues across Malaysia, including Kuantan 188 Tower in Pahang, Menara MBPJ in Selangor, Tribeca Serviced Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, The Top Komtar Tower in Penang, Menara Affin in Kuala Lumpur, Tun Mustapha Tower in Sabah, R&F Princess Cove in Johor, Hikmah Exchange in Sarawak and Maha Tower in Langkawi. Additional venues will be announced later.

Under the collaboration, Oregeon Academy Sdn Bhd will serve as the main organiser and commercial partner, while MTA will act as the technical and sports sanctioning partner. MTA will oversee areas such as race operations, athlete coordination, safety standards and technical compliance.

The partnership is expected to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a regional hub for towerrunning. It may also create new opportunities for local athletes, youth participation, tourism activation and corporate partnerships.

From a sports development perspective, the series could play a major role in expanding Malaysia’s competitive base. Regular races across different states will allow more athletes to test themselves in official events without needing to travel overseas frequently.

The national series may also help introduce towerrunning to a wider audience. While the sport is physically demanding, its format is simple and accessible: athletes race up staircases in high-rise buildings, making it suitable for urban centres and iconic towers.

This gives Malaysia a unique advantage. The country has many tall buildings, towers, hotels and commercial developments that can be used as race venues. By linking sport, tourism and corporate participation, towerrunning can grow beyond a competitive niche and become part of Malaysia’s active lifestyle culture.

Grassroots participation has already become an important part of Malaysia’s towerrunning progress. MTA said its free weekly stair-climbing community sessions at Menara MBPJ recently passed 138 consecutive weeks, showing consistent community interest in the sport.

This consistency matters because long-term athlete development often begins with regular community participation. When more people are exposed to stair-climbing training, the chances of discovering new talent also increase.

The success of Malaysian athletes at world level can now be matched with a stronger domestic structure. With more local races, younger athletes and recreational participants will have a clearer pathway from community training to national competition and eventually international events.

Malaysia’s rise to world No. 4 also sends a strong message to the global towerrunning community. The country is not only producing elite-level athletes but also building the foundation for long-term development through events, partnerships and grassroots programmes.

For Malaysian sports fans, the achievement provides another reason to follow a discipline that has often received less mainstream attention compared with football, badminton or athletics. Towerrunning may still be developing, but Malaysia’s global ranking shows that the country is already performing at a world-class level.

The launch of the Oregeon Tower Run Malaysia Series could also benefit local tourism. Races held at landmark towers across different states may attract participants, supporters and visitors, creating economic activity around sports tourism and destination branding.

Events at iconic locations such as Kuantan 188 Tower, Komtar Tower, Tun Mustapha Tower and Maha Tower could also help promote these landmarks to a wider audience. For organisers, the combination of sport and destination marketing gives towerrunning strong commercial potential.

At the athlete level, more races mean more chances to gain experience under competition conditions. Towerrunning is not only about fitness; athletes must learn pacing, stair technique, breathing control and mental endurance. A stronger local calendar will help competitors sharpen these skills more consistently.

For young athletes such as Raisya Adelea, the national series could become an important stepping stone. Competing regularly at home may help her and other rising talents build confidence before challenging stronger international fields.

Overall, Malaysia’s climb to world No. 4 and the launch of the Oregeon Tower Run Malaysia Series mark a major turning point for the sport locally. The country now has world-class athletes, emerging youth talent, a growing community base and a national race structure that can support future expansion.

With Soh Wai Ching remaining at the top of the men’s world rankings and more Malaysian athletes breaking into the global top 30, the momentum behind Malaysian towerrunning appears stronger than ever. If the new race series succeeds, Malaysia could further close the gap on the top-ranked nations and strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading towerrunning countries.