Creating Memories: Pickleball Marathon Organisers Promise More Fun-Filled Events After Smashing Malaysian Record Book

Create a core memory.

It’s safe to say it’s mission accomplished for HITZ, MIX, LITE, and CelcomDigi, who successfully held the record-breaking event “Feel the Rush with CelcomDigi: Dink & Set the 26-Hour Pickleball Record” on 30 September at Dink2 @ Sunway Serene X-Park.

The weekend special saw over 589 picklers—yes, 589!—make history, entering the Malaysia Book of Records for longest nonstop pickleball marathon at a mind-bending 26 hours. The pickleball marathon, which attracted players from all over Malaysia and even in neighbouring nations, began on Saturday, 28 September at 10 a sharp and lasted until 12 p.m. on Sunday, 29 September. Aside from showcasing the meteoric rise in popularity of pickleball, the event also sought to inspire Malaysians to embrace the lifestyle through community activities.

But, at its core, “Feel the Rush with CelcomDigi: Dink & Set the 26-Hour Pickleball Record” was all about the fun, exciting sport of pickleball.

“The idea came about wanting to create an event that’s memorable for our pickleball community. We felt that a record-breaking endeavour would be one for the memories for all who participated,” said Chin Renyi, who was also among the main organisers of the equally successful Bangi Pickleball Retreat  over Malaysia’s Merdeka Day weekend. 

That community, of course, is growing meteorically, and Astro Radio—the parent company of HITZ, MIX, and LITE had been taking notice. And, in one fell swoop, it seized an opportunity to grow the sport even more.

“We were inspired by the rapid growth of pickleball in Malaysia, especially because it’s such an inclusive sport—easy to pick up, fun for all ages, and a great way to bring people together,” Rosalind Teng, Brand Manager at MIX, told Pickleball News Asia. Given Astro Radio’s wide-reaching audience across HITZ, MIX, and LITE, each catering to different demographics, we saw this as the perfect opportunity to showcase just how accessible and engaging pickleball can be. Partnering with CelcomDigi, we are able to amplify this fast-growing sport and create a truly memorable experience for everyone involved.

“I heard Singapore did a 24-hour challenge; hence, I thought it would be a neat thing to do for Malaysia. Non (from Lite FM) plays pickleball with me, so we toyed with this idea around June/July this year. After the Merdeka Retreat, this 26Hrs was the next awesome project to achieve! I am glad it turned out amazing!” added Ms. Jane, one of the organisers of the record-setting event.

It was amazing, for sure. And it was also mission accomplished for Astro Radio and CelcomDigi.

Pickleball Marathon Was Mission Accomplished

But given the sheer number of picklers—amateurs and pros alike—who participated, so many things could’ve gone wrong. Nothing of that sort happened; in fact, the record-breaking event went swimmingly. And that’s a credit to the organisers, of course, and the players most certainly as they played their part to ensure the success of this ambitious endeavour.

“We managed to coordinate and shuffle around 500+ players without much disruption and issues,” Renyi told Pickleball News Asia. “Given it’s a first time for all of us, everything went very smoothly with everyone invoiced being understanding and cooperative.”

The pickleball community isn’t just passionate about the sport; it is also fun-loving, dynamic, and yes, understanding and cooperative. And them coming together was ultimately one of the deciding factors that made the record-breaking weekend special a smashing success.

“Apart from breaking the record, one of the most rewarding aspects was seeing the community come together. We had participants from diverse age groups, backgrounds, and even from different parts of the country—one player even drove all the way from Johor just to be part of the event!” Teng further said.

Ms. Jane was naturally touched by the outpouring of support from the growing pickleball community, giving special mention to picklers who came from far and wide just to partake in this special event—rain and all.

“I was very touched by the dedication of the pickleball players in our community—those who came from out of state like Ipoh and Johor for this event as well as our East Malaysia and international friends. We had players as young as 9 years old who took on the graveyard shift. Some of our players are in their 70s as well,” Jane pointed out. “I personally thought the rain would deter some people from coming, but everyone came, were on time, and had good quality games to boot.”

A Community Comes Together

Indeed, this unique marathon has seen the pickleball community come together, which was exactly the goal of the organisers, according to Chan May Ling, Head of Brand and Marketing Services, at CelcomDigi, who pointed out how the record-breaking event “served as a platform to connect pickleball enthusiasts from all walks of life” to fostering an inclusive and active community that is embracing both the sport and the healthy lifestyle it wants to encourage.

“By encouraging a healthier lifestyle that benefits both physical and mental well-being, we aim to inspire individuals to embrace the joy of pickleball, connecting communities through shared passion and shared experiences,” she told PNA.  

Pickleball’s unifying power is unquestioned. It is undeniable. And if history is any indication, picklers are more than willing to come together to play the sport and grow to even greater heights. That’s why picklers in Malaysia can expect more of these fun events in the future, with Reyni and his friends penciling in Halloween and Christmas “to create fun-themed events for the [pickleball] community.”

Astro Radio, in particular, is “definitely open to more collaborations and ideas to keep promoting pickleball,” according to Teng, who also teased “a lineup of exciting events coming up” from HITZ, MIX, and LITE.

Those planned events, of course, are on top of the daily games the organisers hold at NZX Sports Arena. These games, Jane noted, is their way of promoting pickleball every single day. The special events they are planning, therefore, are like the cherries on top of the sundae—and are something picklers everywhere can look forward to for sure. 

Expect the growing pickleball community to come together again for those plans. After all, you can’t make enough core memories, right?