PETALING JAYA: The first-ever tower run at Merdeka 118 took place yesterday, with participants making a thrilling vertical climb from the ground floor to Level 118 of the skyscraper.
Branded “The Sky Race”, the event rewarded runners with breathtaking views of Kuala Lumpur at the top, offering a unique way to celebrate Malaysia’s Independence Day.
Open to participants aged 13 and above, the race welcomed competitors of all ability levels to take on the challenge at their own pace.
The event flagged off at 6.20am with the elite men’s category, followed by the elite women’s group at about 6.45am.
The open category, for participants aged 18 and above, then took to the stairs, followed by the junior veteran aged 40 to 49, veteran aged 50 to 59, senior veteran aged over 60 and junior aged 13 to 17 categories.
Merdeka 118, completed in 2023, is a 679m skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur and is the second tallest building in the world after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa at 828m.
Without its spire, the tower rises 515m above ground.
It holds the title of the tallest building in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Built near the historic Merdeka Stadium in Jalan Hang Jebat, just 100m north of the iconic landmark, the tower is owned by Permodalan Nasional Bhd.
It was designed by RSP Architects Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Melbourne-based Fender Katsalidis, best known for the Eureka Tower, the tallest building in Melbourne.
The observation deck is expected to open in the second or third quarter of this year, alongside the Park Hyatt hotel in the second quarter, while a shopping centre is scheduled to open no earlier than the third quarter of the same year.
Architecturally, Merdeka 118 bears similarities to Uptown Dubai Tower, another megatall skyscraper set to become the world’s tallest commercial building.
