Sometimes, a race is not really about speed, finishing times or even winning.
Sometimes, it is simply about taking that first step.
That was the spirit behind The IHH Sky Race™ 2026, where 7,887 participants took on one of Malaysia’s toughest vertical challenges – climbing 118 floors and 2,845 steps to the top of Menara Merdeka Maybank at the Merdeka 118 Precinct in Kuala Lumpur.
Held during Malaysia’s Merdeka month, the event became more than just a stair-climbing challenge. For many participants, reaching the top represented resilience, courage and the determination to keep moving forward regardless of age or circumstances.
And among thousands of participants, several remarkable stories stood out.
An 8-Year-Old Takes on 118 Floors
At just eight years old, Chua Ze Yu was one of the youngest participants to take on The IHH Sky Race™.
Unlike many competitive athletes, Ze Yu was not there with a complicated strategy. He simply wanted to try something new.
He joined the team category alongside his mother and father after they asked whether he wanted to participate. His answer was an uncomplicated “yes”.
That decision was followed by a month of preparation. Every Tuesday, Ze Yu trained with his parents at their apartment, practising short stair climbs under their supervision.
When race day finally arrived, the challenge turned out to be less intimidating than he had expected.
“It was easier than what I imagined,” he said after completing the climb.
His approach was surprisingly mature for someone his age. Whenever he became tired, he simply rested before continuing.
Step by step, he eventually reached the top in 1:11:13.
For Merdeka, his message to fellow Malaysians was equally simple: stay healthy, stay safe and don’t be afraid to try something new.
It is safe to say that Ze Yu has already started building an impressive relationship with challenges at a very young age.
At 81, There Is Still No Stopping Melita Kit
If Ze Yu demonstrated that age should not stop someone from starting, 81-year-old Melita Kit proved that age should not stop someone from continuing.
Kit was already living an active lifestyle long before she heard about The IHH Sky Race™.
Every morning at 7:45am, she joins a community of more than 20 friends and neighbours, including her sister, for an hour of walking, hiking and exercise.
That consistency became her secret weapon.
After her family suggested taking part in the race, Kit committed herself to two months of Saturday training at MBPJ’s tower. She eventually joined the team category with her family members.
Then came the big day.
Kit climbed all 118 floors and completed the challenge in 1:25:52.
Reaching the top was clearly an emotional moment.
“I am very proud, you know. I am proud to reach the top of the tallest tower in Malaysia, because I am 81!” she said.
Her Merdeka message perfectly captured the spirit of the event: start young, stay active and never stop moving.
And honestly, at 81, Kit is giving everyone else a pretty good reason to stop making excuses.
Jeff Linton Proves That Nothing Is Impossible
Then there was Jeff Linton, whose journey to the top was perhaps one of the most remarkable stories of the event.
Fifty years ago, when he was just 21, Linton lost both legs in a train accident in the United States.
But instead of allowing the accident to define the rest of his life, he embarked on an extraordinary journey that would see him take on some of the world’s most iconic stair climbs.
His challenges have included Chicago’s Sears Tower and the Empire State Building.
In 2026, he decided to add Malaysia’s tallest building to that list.
Linton travelled more than 24 hours from Chicago to Malaysia, including a gruelling 15-hour journey from Atlanta to Seoul. Once he arrived, there was another challenge waiting – Malaysia’s heat and humidity.
He described the conditions as “brutal”.
Still, he started climbing.
Linton paused four times during the challenge but eventually completed the 118-floor climb in 1:01:45.
“I am glad I completed the course,” he said.
For him, the motivation was straightforward: he wanted to conquer the second-tallest building in the world simply so he could say he had done it.
But the experience gave him something more than another achievement. Linton also praised the warmth and kindness of the people he met during his first visit to Malaysia.
It was a powerful reminder that sometimes the most memorable part of a challenge is not reaching the destination, but the people you meet along the way.
The Courage to Start
Another participant who captured the attention of Malaysians was Subohthini Alagesan.
Ironically, she almost never made it to the starting line.
After being encouraged by her friend Liyana, a two-time participant, Subohthini initially decided to sign up for The IHH Sky Race™.
Then everything seemed to go wrong.
Just two weeks before the event, she suffered food poisoning, became badly dehydrated and lost her voice. She was subsequently diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.
Pulling out seemed like the obvious decision.
But two days before race day, she changed her mind.
“Why give up before I even try?” she remembered thinking.
Instead of setting an ambitious target, she arrived with one simple goal: find out how far she could go.
Somewhere along those 118 floors, that goal changed.
She decided she was going to finish.
After 2:49:31, Subohthini crossed the finish line, having conquered not only the tower but also the self-doubt that had surrounded her before the event.
What made the experience even more meaningful was the support she received from fellow Malaysians along the route.
“They lift each other up and we leave no one behind,” she said, describing what she experienced as the true Malaysian spirit.
Her story perhaps carries the most important message of The IHH Sky Race™: you don’t necessarily need to know whether you can finish.
Sometimes, you just need enough courage to start.
Leaders Who Walked the Talk
The spirit of The IHH Sky Race™ was not limited to members of the public.
Leaders from PNB Merdeka Ventures and IHH Healthcare Malaysia also took on the challenge.
Datuk Ir. Ts. (Dr.) Izwan Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, completed the 118-floor challenge in 45:35.
Dr Kamal Amzan, Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, also participated and finished in 58:36.
For Dr Kamal, the challenge represented a message that goes beyond the race itself: good health is built one step at a time.
It is a message that fits perfectly with an event centred around physical endurance, healthy living and personal resilience.
More Than Just a Stair Race
The IHH Sky Race™ is ultimately about much more than climbing a skyscraper.
Its location adds another layer of meaning.
The event takes place during Merdeka month, connecting two landmarks that represent different chapters of Malaysia’s story.
Stadium Merdeka is where Malaysia’s independence was declared in 1957. Today, the neighbouring Merdeka 118 Precinct represents a very different chapter – one focused on Malaysia’s modern development and ambitions.
Between the two stands a powerful message.
Malaysia has come a long way.
And just like climbing 118 floors, progress does not happen in one giant leap. It happens one step at a time.
One Step at a Time
From an eight-year-old experiencing his first major challenge to an 81-year-old proving that age is no barrier, from an international athlete refusing to let disability define his limits to a participant who simply found the courage to begin, The IHH Sky Race™ 2026 delivered stories that went far beyond the finish line.
The 2,845 steps may have led participants to the top of Malaysia’s tallest building, but the real achievement was what happened along the way.
There were moments of doubt, exhaustion and pain.
There were also moments of encouragement, determination, friendship and pride.
And perhaps that is the perfect way to celebrate Merdeka.
Because whether we are eight, 81 or somewhere in between, progress always begins with one simple decision:
Take the first step.
For more information on The IHH Sky Race™, please visit www.theskyrace.com
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