BY Fadhil Yunus

Brunei Darussalam’s athlete Muhd Adid bin Kadir did the country proud after making consecutive podium finishes in the five-kilometre (km) Sprint and 10km Super Race events of the recently-concluded Spartan Race Sarawak 2022.

Muhd Adid secured a runner-up spot in the 5km Sprint (20 obstacles) and third place in the 10km Super Race (25 obstacles).

The country’s leading Spartan athlete said, “The race will test you to the limit of your endurance. To succeed, you need to have strong commitment and discipline.

“I believe this sport helps to build character and leadership which is necessary in this rapidly changing environment”, said Adid who became the first Spartan athlete to represent the country in the Spartan World Championship in North Lake Tahoe, California in September 2019.

He also competed in the Spartan Trifecta World Championship in Leonidas Statue at Sparta, Greece in the same year.

Having pioneered the enduring discipline of Spartan racing in the Sultanate, Muhd Adid encouraged youth to embrace the sport and lead a healthy lifestyle.

“My ultimate wish one day is for Brunei to host this event as a way to promote the country as a destination for extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world,” he said.

Ten participants from the Sultanate were involved in the two-day meet, with Zulkernean Haji Tohara also standing out among the group having secured a top three spot in his age group category.

Other racers included Shahril Haji Abdul Muin who managed to get into the top four and Muhd Ariff Abdul Majid who finished in the top 15 in their respective age group categories.

The race, which attracted more than 1,000 participants, was originally planned to be held in 2019 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 10km Super Race is the first race under the Spartan SEA Regional Series for 2022.

This year, four epic races will be staged in four cities across Southeast Asia. At the end of the Regional Series event, the final leaderboard determines who gains entry into the World Championship.

The next stop for the Spartan SEA Regional Series is in Chiang Mai, Thailand in August followed by the Philippines and Vietnam.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin