Yet, for the 30-year-old world champion in tower running, every step he takes reflects a drive to push personal limits, inspire the community, and bring pride to Malaysia on the world stage.
Born in Selayang, Selangor, Soh ventured into the sport in 2017 and has since achieved various international successes, including winning the 2024 Towerrunning World Championship in Taipei, Taiwan.
On July 19, he smashed the Guinness World Record by climbing a stair machine for a total simulated distance of 1.788km in an hour, surpassing the previous record of 1.74km set by Britain’s David Mahoney in May.
Remarkably, he did this without holding on to the handrails as he said it was against his principles.
That same day, Soh was also awarded with four Malaysia Book of Records achievements:
- fastest time in climbing the equivalent height of the Petronas Twin Towers (451.9m) in 14 minutes and 16 seconds;
- fastest time to climb the equivalent height of Merdeka 118 (678.9m) in 22 minutes and 18 seconds;
- fastest vertical kilometre climb in 33 minutes and 11 seconds; and
- longest vertical climb distance on a stair machine in one hour.
Although he does not have the tall and lanky physique typical of European athletes, Soh, who stands at 1.65m, believes success in this sport is not determined by one’s physical stature but rather by training strategy and mental strength.
“Physical attributes are not a limitation in this sport; it’s not necessary to be tall to perform well or otherwise. If your training is sufficient and well-structured, body size is not a barrier,” he said, adding: “In tower training, everyone has a fair chance.”
Soh shared that he trains on his own without a coach, relying on the knowledge gained from his bachelor’s degree in sports science from Universiti Malaya.
As a full-time athlete in a sport still relatively new in Malaysia, he admits it isn’t always easy to stay focused. However, the responsibility of representing the country continues to be his main source of motivation.
“I always remind myself that I am a Malaysian, and whatever I do must be done to the best of my ability with 100% effort.
“My dream of becoming a world champion has come true, but there are still many records I haven’t broken at every tower around the world,” he added.
Soh said he personally manages his training schedule, sponsorships and international participation, including planning promotional activities to develop the sport at the global level.
For him, stairs are not just structures or training tools, but symbols of life’s challenges that force us to “keep climbing to the next level without stopping”.
“As human beings, we can’t take the elevator straight to the top. We must climb the stairs step by step, and each has its own value and difficulty – whether in sports, life, or any field we pursue.”
Soh will next be participating in the Towerrunning Asian and Oceanian Championships on Aug 30.
Follow Soh on Facebook.