PETALING JAYA, Feb 10 — Former world Number One tower runner, Soh Wai Ching, today received a major boost in his bid to reclaim the top global ranking after signing a RM75,000 sponsorship deal with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
As part of the agreement, the 30-year-old Malaysian will wear the MBPJ logo on his racing attire, promote the Selangor city’s branding, and engage in community outreach efforts, which include speaking engagements in schools and at public tower running events.
Petaling Jaya Mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon expressed MBPJ’s pride in supporting Soh for his consistency in placing Malaysia on the world stage.
“Soh is an exceptional athlete, and we are proud to be part of his journey. His dedication, discipline, and achievements make him a great role model for aspiring athletes.
“Through this sponsorship, we hope to not only support his quest to be the best in the world again but also to introduce more people, especially the younger generation, to the sport of tower running,” Zahri said.
He added that the partnership aligns with the council’s goal of promoting Petaling Jaya as a dynamic and sports-friendly city.
“We want to encourage more people to take part in our weekly tower runs at Menara MBPJ and see this sport grow locally.
“It’s one of the longest running collaborations we’ve had with any organisation, coming on 70 weeks non-stop and we hope it continues to grow,” he said alluding to the weekly tower run up Menara MBPJ,” he said.
The run happens every Saturday from 5.30pm to 7pm and is open to the public.
The weekly average number of participants is about 40 runners, and the most has been 200.
MBPJ said it will disburse the RM75,000 in four payments throughout the year, with the hope that Soh’s success will further elevate Malaysia’s reputation in the global sporting arena.
New dream
Soh, who has been a dominant force in tower running, highlighted the financial struggles that come with competing at the highest level.
“Securing funding is always a challenge, but it is crucial for travel. In 2024, I took 73 flights to 20 countries to compete in 38 events. I reached the podium 37 times and won 30 of them.
“I’m probably the athlete with the highest winning rate across all sports, and that’s a comparison that can be made athlete-to-athlete.
“But being world champion isn’t easy; it’s a title that’s contested only once every two years. Apart from that, it is one of my dreams to host the World Championships in Malaysia someday,” he said.
Despite not being part of the Olympic programme, Soh remains determined to elevate the sport and inspire the next generation.
“I want to teach kids about discipline and help them achieve their dreams. That’s why I’ve been committed to also attending our weekly tower runs. We’ve done it for 70 consecutive weeks now,” he added.
With the support of MBPJ, Soh is now focused on reclaiming the world top spot.
However, he plans to be more strategic with his schedule in 2025, aiming to reduce his travel and competitions to fewer than 30 tournaments.
He said he’d like to focus on bigger events and avoid pitfalls like falling sick and losing events and precious ranking points.
“My main target is to get back to No 1. Next week, I’ll be in Osaka for a race where I’ll challenge the current world No 1, Ryoji Watanabe. I’m purposely going there to put pressure on him. After that, I’ll head to Chicago for the US National Championships, which I’ve won three times before,” Soh said.
His upcoming competitions also include races in Melbourne, Poland, and Taiwan, all of which will contribute ranking points toward his goal.
