SEMATAN: Sometimes, winning is simply about staying calm.
That was the message Martyn Lim Wen Xuan repeated to himself throughout the Borneo 100 as the Kuching triathlete battled pressure, self-doubt and strong competition before emerging victorious on home soil.
Martyn crossed the finish line in 3 hours 51 minutes to claim the title, ahead of fellow Malaysian Yap Qi Yi (3:55:30) and Thiang Chong Yoong (4:06:08).
For the 2025 SEA Games bronze medallist, however, the victory was far from straightforward.
Knowing beforehand that Yap was a stronger swimmer and cyclist, Martyn deliberately adopted a patient approach and stuck to a race strategy centred around conserving energy for his strongest discipline — the run.
“Coming into this race, I knew Qi (Yap) was quite strong in the swim and bike. During the swim, I stayed behind him to save some energy because he is eventually the stronger swimmer.
“On the bike, I knew he was slightly stronger than me too, so I just tried my best to pace myself and hoped the gap wouldn’t be too big,” he told Sarawak Tribune at Sematan Palm Beach Resort on Sunday (June 21).
By the time he reached the run segment, Martyn knew it was his opportunity to make his move.
“I know my run is my strongest point, so I capitalised on that. After overtaking him, I just controlled my pace and wanted to finish strong,” he said.
Despite eventually pulling away, the race was not without moments of uncertainty.
Martyn admitted he experienced doubts along the way, particularly during the cycling stage, but remained committed to the plan he had set before the race.
“There is definitely doubt, but I was quite confident that if I paced myself well, I would come out on top.
“I kept telling myself, ‘Don’t panic, just stay calm and stick to the plan’. My goal was simply to finish within the time that I had set for myself. Winning was a bonus,” he said.
Competing in front of a home crowd also brought added pressure.
Martyn revealed organisers had jokingly reminded him that, as a Kuching athlete, expectations would naturally be higher.
“There was definitely pressure. They were like, ‘Hey, you’re a Kuching guy, you’ve got to perform’,” he said.
Despite the expectations, Martyn never lost sight of why he entered the race in the first place.
“But in the back of my head, I was just here to have fun and do my best. Whatever comes with the performance is a bonus,” he added.
The triumph was made even more meaningful as he shared the podium battle with Yap, a training partner he knows well and respects.
According to Martyn, the race was never about overpowering his rival, but understanding where each athlete held an advantage and executing a strategy around it.
“Endurance-wise, we are quite similar. It’s just that it comes down to our stronger disciplines.
“For him, he’s definitely stronger in the swim and bike, while my run is the stronger one. It all depends on how well you plan your race,” he said.
On a day when pressure, expectation and self-doubt threatened to derail his race, Martyn’s patience ultimately carried him to victory on home soil.
The plan worked. So did staying calm.
