Odekta Uses Merdeka Run 2026 as Tuneup for Asian Games
The marathoner sees little chance of an Aichi-Nagoya medal despite her new 2:31:34 national record and SEA Games gold.
Indonesian marathon runner Odekta Elvina Naibaho is treating Merdeka Run 2026 in Jakarta as part of training and a tuneup for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan. She is not chasing a specific time in the 8-kilometer race because her main target is the marathon at the Asian Games, which runs from 19 September to 4 October. Odekta said the event is being used to measure her progress at a shorter distance. She said the race intensity is even lighter than her daily training, which can reach 20-25 kilometers. Even with the women's marathon gold at the 2025 SEA Games and a national record of 2 hours 31 minutes 34 seconds at the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon, Odekta said the chances of winning a medal at the Asian Games remain very slim.