At 8 and 81, they climbed towards the same dream

Eight-year-old Chua Ze Yu and 81-year-old Melita Kit embarked on an identical 118-floor challenge, driven by determination and family support, reaching the pinnacle of Malaysia’s tallest building. Standing at the base of Menara Merdeka Maybank, the age gap of 73 years seemed to blur as they prepared for the IHH Sky Race on August 23.

Both participants, the youngest and oldest in the event, had never tackled a race of this magnitude before. Faced with 2,845 steps, Kit expressed her excitement but also her doubts, vowing to push through until she reached the summit. Joined by her nephew and grandnephew, Kit’s niece and grandson trained at the Petaling Jaya City Council tower and incorporated regular exercise into her routine.

Ze Yu, along with his parents, practiced climbing their apartment building’s 22 storeys multiple times per session.

On race day, Kit’s excitement was palpable, but she persisted despite her doubts, eventually breaking into a brief run towards the finish. Ze Yu also conquered his fears, receiving support from his parents as they reached the final steps together. Both claimed victory, enjoying panoramic views of Kuala Lumpur and affirming that age is merely a number.

Kit aims to participate again, looking to improve her time, while Ze Yu hopes to involve friends who doubted his success. The climb instilled a valuable lesson: to never let doubt hinder one's pursuit of dreams, regardless of age.