Fleet of foot: Lim blazing through the Tree Hug section of the obstacle course in doubly quick time during the grand final. A TITANIC showdown settled by the slimmest of margins saw a fleet-footed lass emerge Master of the Red Bull Monkey Run 2011 after a skilful display of balance and agility.
Lim Pei Shan, 20, blazed a trail in obstacle course and clocked just 42.16sec in the grand final to narrowly edge out rival Mohd Saifullah Musa, 22, who came in at 42.75sec.
Lim and Saifullah had qualified for the epic battle of sexes after winning the women’s and men’s categories earlier, earning the titles ‘Queen’ and ‘King’ respectively in the contest held at Penang Times Square on Sunday.
After overcoming the Rolling Bananas, Merry Go Round, Tree Hug, Fruit Basket, Jumping Coconut and Monkey Swing sections of the obstacle course with ease, they both waited with baited breath as the final times were calculated.
There were jubilant scenes all around as Lim’s victory was announced, with her friends lifting her up on their shoulders in joyous celebration.
A business student from Petaling Jaya, the adventurous Lim is an avid rock climber who won several contests previously. Those skills, she believed, translated well to the obstacle course.
It was her group of rock climbing friends who persuaded her to sign up, and she did so expecting a fun time, and hopefully, to win a prize. Taking home RM8,000 in total for her win, she definitely got what she came for.
“I did it with the support of friends, having self belief and a desire to challenge myself. The key is balancing, timing and knowing the tricks of each obstacle.
“You have to step and go, and not spend too much time on a particular section otherwise you risk getting disoriented or slowed down,” she said of her secret.
Saifullah, an arts student from Johor, rued the extra seconds he wasted on unfastening his harness, but was otherwise contented with his performance and magnanimous in defeat.
“I have always loved a challenge, to see how far I can go. This contest was definitely a good test of strength and stamina,” he quipped.
Having consistently finished seventh in all the preliminary rounds, he questioned if he could do any better after qualifying for the men’s finals.
But after receiving a call from his mother, he raised his game, and fuelled by adrenaline, emerged with the fastest time, taking home RM3,000 for winning the contest of hunks.
Lim and Saifullah, along with the runner-ups of both categories, received their prizes from state Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi.
In her speech, Ong expressed her hope that the event would become an annual affair, in line with the state’s healthy and active lifestyle approach.
“It’s a type of sporting activity that is both unique and different, delivering a challenging yet fun experience for both participants and spectators.
“At the same time, it is nice to see a harmonious and muhibbah spirit prevail among competitors of all races,” she added.
The Monkey Run was hosted by Red Bull Malaysia, and attracted some 500 participants since kicking off with preliminary rounds in mid October. Winners were chosen based on their ability to complete the course in the fastest time.
Red Bull’s national marketing operations manager Eng Swee Peng said the company had always supported an active lifestyle amongst youths.
“We are pleased to have been the first to bring a totally new experience through the Red Bull Monkey Run.
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