KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 ― Asia’s top tower runner in Malaysian Soh Wai Ching won the 2021 Empire State Building Run-Up yesterday.
According to Astro Awani, Soh managed to scale all 86 floors of the New York’s Empire State Building in just 10 minutes and 47 seconds, earning him the win in the elite men’s division race.
The 27-year-old also became the first Asian to win the Empire State Building Run-Up where the winners will get to donate US$100,000 (RM415,100) to a charity of their choice.
Despite being crowned champion, Soh via his Instagram said that he is still not satisfied with his performance last Tuesday night as he was aiming to complete the race in less than 10 minutes.
“I’m super confident to improve my time next year with a much longer preparation for it.
“I would like to thank my family, friends, and sponsors for the continuous support. Thank you everyone,” he wrote in his post.
Soh also took the chance to express his inner ‘fanboy’ after getting to meet with actor Sebastian Stan aka the MCU’s Winter Soldier.
He also revealed that he will be attempting to get a Double Guinness World Record for his next big goal.
Just last year, Soh was confirmed as the new Guinness World Record holder for the Greatest Vertical Height Stair Climbing in One Hour (Male) with a distance of 1.295km after completing his run at the Four Season Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
The Empire State Building Run-Up is the world’s first and most famous tower race where runners race up its famed 86 flights or 1,576 stairs.
The current record holder for men's course is currently held by Paul Crake of Australia who completed the run in 9 minutes and 33 seconds back in 2003.
Last year's run-up was cancelled due to Covid-19.
