Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, YB Wong Hon Wai hailed the overwhelming response to PBIM 2026 Registration which saw 6,000 entries on the first day of registration with the Early Bird slots being sold out in less than 24 hours
“I am pleased to announce that the Aspen–Klippa Penang Bridge International Marathon 2026 has received an exceptionally strong and overwhelming response following the opening of registration on 17/3/2026. Within less than 24 hours, all Early Bird slots were fully taken up, with over 6,000 runners successfully registered during this period.
“This remarkable response reflects the growing interest in running, as well as the increasing appeal of PBIM among both local and international participants. It also highlights the rising momentum of Penang’s running community and reinforces PBIM’s position as one of Malaysia’s premier international marathon events, further strengthened by its AIMS certification and its latest recognition within the Abbott World Marathon Majors global marathon age group ranking.
“While Early Bird slots have been fully taken up, general registration remains open until all slots are filled. We encourage interested participants to register early, as remaining slots are limited and expected to fill up quickly. For registration:https://penangmarathon.gov.my/
For PBIM 2026, runners may register under the existing general race categories:
* Full Marathon (42KM) – Cut-off time: 7 hours
* Half Marathon (21KM) – Cut-off time: 3 hours 30 minutes
* 10KM Run – Cut-off time: 1 hour 30 minutes
In line with the growing interest and to further elevate the race standard, PBIM 2026 also introduces the Elite Challenge Categories (Competitive), which are eligible for prize money and subject to stricter qualifying times:
Full Marathon Challenge (42KM)
* Men Open/Malaysian: 3 hours 45 minutes
* Men Veteran: 4 hours
* Women Open/Malaysian: 4 hours 15 minutes
* Women Veteran: 4 hours 30 minutes
Half Marathon Challenge (21KM)
* Men Open/Malaysian: 1 hour 40 minutes
* Men Veteran: 1 hour 50 minutes
* Women Open/Malaysian: 2 hours
* Women Veteran: 2 hours 10 minutes
Meanwhile, the overwhelming response to PBIM 2026 reflects not only the strength of our running community, but also Penang’s continued growth as a destination for sports tourism and international events.