KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — National triathlete Esther Joy Chen is eyeing an opportunity to compete in the marathon at the 2027 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games after emerging as Malaysia’s fastest female runner at the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon on October 4.

Esther, 22, clocked three hours, five minutes and 22 seconds (3:05:22) to win the Malaysian women’s category in her marathon debut, putting herself on the preliminary list of candidates for selection for the biennial Games.

She said the achievement had motivated her to continue improving her performance, particularly in terms of physical and mental preparation, as she pursued her dream of representing Malaysia on the international stage.

“In my mind, I am an optimistic person. I like setting high targets because I believe that whatever we set our minds to, we can achieve,” she said on Lensa Wanita on Siara Bernama Radio at Wisma Bernama here today.

On her preparations, Esther said she underwent specialised marathon training, with between one and three sessions a day depending on her training needs, each lasting between one and three hours.

She said nutrition during races also required attention, particularly the intake of energy gels and drinks, to help improve her performance.

“I think, in terms of performance, my race nutrition, especially energy gels and drinks, is still an area that needs improvement. Once I get that right, I believe I can go faster,” she said.

Esther, who began focusing more seriously on sports only last year, said the support of her partner and family had also played an important role in helping her get through difficult days during training.

She previously joined a wushu development programme in 2014 before quitting. She also had experience in gymnastics during her school days before turning her focus to triathlon.

Commenting on the challenges of triathlon, Esther said swimming was the most challenging discipline for her, as she had started swimming at the age of eight before stopping and resuming training at 18.

She hoped to continue addressing her weaknesses and building her self-confidence as she prepared to face greater challenges, including the opportunity to compete at the 2027 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games. — Bernama