| Fadhil Yunus |
RUNNING enthusiasts and sports fans are in for a treat as the first-ever ‘Brunei Unexpected Kingdom Ultra Marathon (BUKUM) 2018’ is set to be held on December 1-2.
Organised by Begawan Athlete Enterprise – also known as the Brunei Ultramarathon Group, the event which is part of ‘Brunei December Festival 2018’, is supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism and the Royal Brunei Police Force.
A partner-signing ceremony for the sponsors and partners was recently hosted by AKK Design as the event partner at My Favour-eat Kopitiam (MFK) in Berakas.
Signing on behalf of the organisers was the General Manager of Begawan Athlete Enterprise Nuruljannah binti Haji Mohamad, who inked the sponsorship agreements with Guardian Pharmacy, Syarikat Aliaa Sdn Bhd, S Naaz Sdn Bhd, Kingsley Medical Supplies Sdn Bhd, Hui Huang Enterprise, Marrybrown, Indera Motors Sdn Bhd and Al-Afiah Hotel.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the guest of honour Chief Executive of AKK Design Sazali Md Ariff.
A total of 419 participants from 14 countries namely Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Morocco will take part in the 24-hour competition which features distances of 115km, 60km, 30km amd 3km spanning two days and covering three districts – Belait, Tutong and Brunei-Muara.
The starting point and race flag off for 115km are at Kampong Labi in Belait District at 9pm on December 1; Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park in Tutong District at midnight on December 2 for the 60km race; Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien in Bandar Seri Begawan at 6am on December 2 for 30km and at 7am for the 3km race.
The race routes for the 115km and 60km categories are designed to pass through the many villages along the way to end at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien. The 30km route will be around the Brunei-Muara District – making a loop around Kampong Lumapas and back to the finishing line.
It is also understood that a family-friendly 3km fun run is also planned to be held on December 2, specially dedicated to children with special needs and individuals with autism. The objective is to help further promote public awareness on autism.
