More Than a Race – Xtep Empowers Runners to Level Up

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 9, 2026, Xtep, a leading professional sportswear brand, successfully held its 2026 10KM TIME TRIAL in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This marked the brand's second consecutive professional 10KM running event in Malaysia, reinforcing its long-term commitment to building a professional running ecosystem in Southeast Asia.

Prior to dawn, 1,500 selected participants from Malaysia and five regions—Southeast Asia, East Asia, West Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe—gathered at the start zone. With the participation of prominent local running clubs, the event presented a highly professional, focused and competitive racing atmosphere.

The event received an overwhelming response from the running community. Since registration opened on February 14, nearly 10,000 applications were received within one month, exceeding the 1,500 available spots by more than six times. The strong demand clearly reflects the local market's urgent need for professional, well-organized 10KM racing events.

Runners provided consistent positive feedback, stating that Malaysia has long been lacking professional 10KM races and high-quality event organization. Xtep 10KM TIME TRIAL effectively filled this gap with standardized operation and professional race services. This result demonstrates Xtep's accurate insight into running scenarios, deep understanding of runner needs, and proven experience in delivering professional running platforms.

In response to the strong enthusiasm from runners and running clubs, Xtep is considering hosting an additional large-scale 10KM event in the second half of 2026. The potential event is expected to expand recruitment coverage to the entire Southeast Asia region, introduce a veteran category, engage more running clubs, and launch a running club points ranking system, creating a regional competitive racing festival.

After intense competition, the top performers are as follows:

• Overall Men's Champion: NGARE JOSEPH MWANGI (Kenya), 00:31:28
• Malaysian Men's Champion: YEOW NI JIA, 00:34:37
• Malaysian Women's Champion: CHAN ANNE SZE, 00:44:15
• International Women's Champion: NGETICH EMILY, 00:38:17

The event brought together elite runners across Malaysia, promoting experience sharing and encouraging participants to challenge their personal limits.

Following the race, Xtep held a running footwear workshop at its Mid Valley Megamall store. Wu Lianyin, General Manager of Xtep Running Development Center, delivered a speech, highlighting Xtep's continuous investment in product technology innovation and its support for runners to achieve personal bests and set marathon records.

Zhuang Yan, Senior Manager of Product Development, introduced Xtep's latest running footwear products, including the in-store debut of the 2000KM 5.0 series and the new 360X 3.0 from the brand's Q2 training lineup.

• Xtep 2000KM 5.0: Focused on durability and versatility, DIN abrasion resistance 18mm³, suitable for daily commuting, jogging and training, pace 4:30–8:00 min/km.
• Xtep 2000KM 5.0 PRO: Plate-free design with balanced cushioning and stability, suitable for training, racing and long-distance running, pace 4:30–7:00 min/km.
• Xtep 360X 3.0: Equipped with BT400 composite carbon plate for a smooth running experience, lowers the threshold of carbon plate technology, suitable for daily training, pace 6:30–8:30 min/km.

Zhuang mentioned that the 160X series focuses on racing performance, while the 2000KM 5.0 series and 360X 3.0 prioritize daily training and user experience, helping runners build a stable performance foundation.

As Xtep's second 10KM TIME TRIAL in Malaysia, this event further consolidated the brand's global running positioning. Through professional races, product experience workshops and in-store activities, Xtep continues to build a sound local running community. With high-performance products and professional event platforms, Xtep maintains close connections with runners, supporting their growth from daily training to racing breakthroughs.