More than 44,000 Runners in Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2023

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) 2023  concluded an exceptional weekend of world-class racing, setting new benchmarks for endurance races in the region. As the World Athletics Gold Label race and National Championship made  their triumphant return, SCSM2023 witnessed over 44,000 runners taking to the streets and  finishing at the National Stadium, including more than 8,000 international participants – the  highest in the marathon’s history – marking SCSM2023 as a truly global race.

SCSM2023 saw participants from over 70 countries, including elite athletes, passionate runners,  and first-timers, complete the marathon and half marathon distances. The total distance clocked  amounted to more than 768,800km1, equivalent to cover the distance to the moon and back. The  event also featured a series of shorter races, including the 10km, 5km, and Kids Dash, ensuring  an inclusive event that welcomed runners of all ages and abilities.

This year’s event featured spectator and cheer zones, keeping the excitement of the race high,  as runners headed to the finish line at the National Stadium, a first-ever for the SCSM. The route  had runners pass multiple Singapore landmarks including Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands,  War Memorial Park, Esplanade and Gardens by the Bay.

Gold Label Elite Marathon: A Display of Exceptional Grit and Determination
In the Gold Label Elite Marathon, Kenya’s David Barmasai Tumo emerged victorious in the men’s  category, with a time of 2:14:15. He finished ahead of Kenya’s Geoffrey Birgen who finished in  2:14:30 while Kenya’s Anderson Seroi was third in 2:15:59

Reflecting on the victory, Tumo said, “Running is my passion. I was aiming to improve my position  from my last SCSM race here in 2018, and I focused on my agenda and got on track with my  training gradually. Today, I’m getting the fruits of that.”

Bahrain’s Rose Chelimo claimed the top spot in the women’s category with a timing of 2:37:18just  before Beatrice Jelagat Cherop in 2:37:35. Meseret Dinke of Ethiopia finished in 2:37:48 to take  the second runner-up spot.

Chelimo, who gave birth to her second child in 2021, said, “This is my first marathon win since  2018 and since I went on maternity leave in 2021. There were a lot of challenges to come back  from maternity leave and I had to train very hard to do so. Although this was the most difficult  race I have ever done due to the heat and the humidity, it is a great feeling to know I can still  compete for championships. I am looking forward to seeing my family back home and I know  they will give me a warm welcome.”

Winners of the Gold Label Elite Marathon men’s and women’s categories took home prize money  of USD $30,000 each.

Roy Teo, Industry Development, Technology & Innovation Group of Sport Singapore and Patrick Lee, Cluster Chief Executive Officer of Singapore & ASEAN Markets of Standard

Chartered were present to congratulate the male elite runners at the Gold Label Elite Marathon  finish line. Patrick Lee also joined Ms Ong Ling Lee, Executive Director, Experience  Development Group, Sports & Wellness, Singapore Tourism Board, in welcoming the female elite  runners as they crossed the finish line.

As the race started, Roy Teo commented, “As one of Singapore’s largest mass participation  athletic events, SCSM today is a testament to the passion and dedication of Singaporeans for  sports and fitness. It was inspiring to see these runners come through the National Stadium this  weekend as they pushed their limits and celebrated the joy of running.”

National Championship: A Testimony to Running Excellence in the Local Community
The National Championship also saw compelling performances, with runners Soh Rui Yong and  Rachel See claiming the titles of men’s and women’s marathon champions and SGD $10,000  each, with finishing times of 2:40:34 and 3:05:51 respectively. These victories underscore the  depth of running talent in Singapore and the event’s role in fostering a vibrant local running  community.

Soh finished ahead of Daniel Leow who clocked 2:48:08 while Benjamin Khoo timed in at 2:50:37 in third.

See, who also finished first in the Masters category, was around seven minutes ahead of Jasmine  Teo in 3:13:35 while third-placed Jasmine Goh was closely behind in 3:13:46.

In the National Championship half marathon category, Shaun Goh pulled away with 2km to go to  finish first in 1:12:49, ahead of Jon Lim’s time of 1:13:01. Jeevaneesh Soundararajah was third in  1:15:45.

Vanessa Lee won the National Championship women’s half marathon in 1:28:30. She also  finished second overall in a photo finish with Philippines’ Artjoy Torregosa. In second place was  Serena Teoh in 1:29:56 while Leann Lee was third in 1:38:17.

In the Masters category, Yong He claimed the men’s overall title with a marathon finish of  02:51:07, while Kok Soon Chua came in second with a timing of 02:58:36. In the women’s  Masters, Rachel See took top spot with a race timing of 03:05:51 while Jasmine Goh took second  spot with 03:13:46. Yin Fuyu was third in 3:29:28.

Guinness World Record: A Pursuit of Resilience
A new Guinness World Record was set on Sunday, with Singapore Para-athlete, Zac Leow,  finishing the marathon in the CI1 (men) para-classification in a record time of 4 hours 51 minutes  59 seconds.

An emotional Leow said, “It was a struggle to reach the finish line. I’m thankful that the route is  different this year because running past key landmarks rejuvenated me when I struggled. I’m from  Victoria School (along the East Coast Parkway service road), so when I saw my school, I was  reminded of the fighting spirit instilled in us there and that kept me going.”

Leow also made history on his daughter’s birthday, Mika, who turns two today. He added that he  will be retiring from races but will continue running to stay fit.

Jeff Edwards, Managing Director of Asia for The IRONMAN Group commented on the success of  the race, “SCSM2023 epitomised the unifying power of sports, and its ability to cross cultural and  geographical boundaries to unite individuals through their shared passion for running and their  pursuit of personal excellence. We are especially pleased that we were able to offer runners a  truly special finish at the National Stadium this year. The strong showing of international  participants is a testament to the event’s growing stature, not just in Singapore, but also with  serious runners everywhere. We look forward to elevating the event further and are deeply  grateful for the wholehearted support of Sport Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board, and  Standard Chartered, which have helped make the event what it is today.”