Soh Rui Yong to compete in back-to-back races at Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon

“As I approach 35 years of age, I’m starting to look at an ultramarathon career, with races like the Two Oceans (56km) and Comrades Marathon (88km) in mind. The double-up challenge is a great way for me to get my feet wet and see if ultras might be for me,” said Soh, who clinched the 10,000m silver at the 2023 Games in Cambodia.

“Combining the double-up challenge with the SEA Games 10,000m gives me a good opportunity to test myself on 73.3km over 10 days.”

Around 130 participants, including Soh, have registered to compete in both the half marathon and marathon, with over 700 runners attempting various combinations of the double-up challenge.

All finishers will receive a special commemorative medal in addition to their individual category medals. The national winners of the men’s and women’s marathon will each receive S$10,000 (US$7,705), while half marathon national winners will get S$5,000 apiece.

The route for this year’s edition has been revamped to make it flatter, with elevation points like West Coast Highway and Sheares Avenue taken out. “The removal of Sheares Bridge will come as a relief to many,” Soh said. “Overall, this new route looks flatter and will be great for anyone looking to improve on their times set last year.”

More than 45,000 runners, including more than 11,800 international participants, have already registered for this year’s marathon.