Soh Rui Yong will undertake the Double-Up Challenge made possible by the event’s new two-day format
Along with his SEA games participation, the runner is eyeing a triple win. A total prize money of approximately SG$335,000 will be up for stakes at SCSM 2025 for both the National Championship and the World Athletics Gold Label Marathon Race.
SINGAPORE, 22 October 2025 – The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ (SCSM) 2025, being held on 6-7 December, will see celebrated national marathoner Soh Rui Yong take on the ambitious National Championship in a Double-Up Challenge — competing in both the Half Marathon and Marathon across two days. Soh’s participation is made possible by SCSM’s new format this year, which for the first time will see the two race categories run on separate days, with the Half Marathon taking place on Saturday, 6 December, and the Marathon on Sunday, 7 December.
Since the introduction of the National Championship category at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) in 2017, Singapore’s most talked-about athlete, Soh Rui Yong, has remained undefeated, clinching five consecutive national titles, with his latest victory in 2024. Earlier this year, he also set the Guinness World Record in London for the fastest marathon in a suit.
This year, he returns to SCSM once again, to take the challenge up a notch as he participates in both the Half Marathon and Marathon National Championship races. With his spot at the upcoming SEA Games confirmed, Soh is on a bold quest to become the first-ever Double Champion at SCSM 2025, while also aiming to claim the SEA Games (10,000m) medal as his third win — targeting a remarkable three major titles as the year concludes.
Santoz Kumar, General Manager of The IRONMAN Group, organisers of SCSM, said: “Soh has always been bold in his ambitions, and we’ve seen him work hard to achieve these wins over the years. It is not an easy feat to win all three races, but I cannot think of anyone who has a better chance. We are glad to be a platform and force to create such historic opportunities for our athletes to excel, and are proud to support Soh and all athletes taking on the Double-Up Challenge.”
Sharing his perspective on the challenge, Soh said: “I think it’s fantastic that the IRONMAN team has split the Half Marathon and Marathon across two days, making my participation in the two categories possible. As I approach 35, I’m starting to look at longer distances like the Two Oceans (56km) and Comrades Marathon (88km), and this challenge is a great way to prepare for those races. Combining the Double-Up
Challenge with the SEA Games 10,000m gives me a good opportunity to test myself on 70+km over 10 days. If I want to race 88km in one go, I need to first learn how to race this stretch well.”
“Moreover, running the Half Marathon before the Marathon adds a new layer of strategy and unpredictability, so it’s going to make this year’s National Championship one of the most exciting editions yet”, he added.
Soh will not be alone in taking on the Double-Up Challenge, with over one hundred runners planning to do the Half Marathon and Marathon combination and over 700 more runners attempting various combinations of the Double-Up challenges. All finishers will receive a special commemorative medal in addition to their individual category medals to mark their achievement in this ultimate test of endurance.
| Challenge | Registered Participants |
| Marathon + Half Marathon | 130 |
| Marathon + 5KM | 240 |
| Half Marathon + 10KM | 310 |
| 10KM + 5KM | 170 |
Fellow national runners Serena Teoh and Aaron Justin Tan will also be competing in the National Championships, in their respective categories.
Serena, a former record-holder in the Half Marathon, placed 3rd in her age category (30–39) at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2023, with a net time of 1:29:55. She also unofficially broke the Singapore women’s Half Marathon record with a time of 1:22:07 at the Gran Canaria Half Marathon in 2019 and has represented Singapore at the Asian Half Marathon Championships.
Aaron, a consistent top performer in the local running scene, set a Marathon personal best of 2:35:28 at the Valencia Marathon in 2024. He placed 2nd in his age category (20–29) and 8th overall at SCSM 2018 Half Marathon, clocking a net time of 1:21:11.
Winners of the National Championship, in both the men and women’s category, will have a chance to walk away with a total prize money of SG$89,000. Top 10 winners of the National Championship will walk away a total prize money of SG$50,800 for the Marathon, the top 5 winners of the Marathon Masters will have a prize pool of SG$14,600, and the top 5 winners of the National Championship Half Marathon will stand to win a total prize money of SG$23,600.
| Category | 1st Place Prize Money |
| Marathon (Men and Women) | SG$10,000 |
| Marathon Masters (Men and Women) | SG$3,000 |
| Half Marathon (Men and Women) | SG$5,000 |
For a full breakdown of the prize money for National Championship, please visit this page: https://www.singaporemarathon.com/registration/national-championship/
To further support the development of Singaporean athletes, The IRONMAN Group will also continue its partnership with Singapore Athletics and support the One Team Singapore Fund (OTF). Since 2022, the IRONMAN Group has donated SG$150,000 to OTF, with an additional SG$60,000 pledged for 2025. These contributions directly support the training and development of local athletes in the athletics field.
Santoz Kumar, General Manager of The IRONMAN Group said: “We’re proud to offer a total prize purse of SG$335,000 at SCSM 2025 with SG$89,000 reserved for our National Athletes. It is a reflection of our commitment to celebrating excellence in endurance sport. As always, we’ve ensured equal prize money and opportunities for both male and female athletes across all categories, reinforcing our belief in fairness and inclusivity. While the prize money rewards outstanding performances, our donation initiative is equally important. It’s about investing in the future of Singapore’s running community and nurturing the next generation of champions.”
World-Class Athletes return to challenge the course
SCSM 2025 will once again welcome a formidable lineup of Elite Label and Gold Label athletes, bringing international prestige and competitive depth to the race. Among the notable Elite Label athletes is Abel Sikowo of Uganda, last year’s Marathon champion, who will be returning to defend his title.
Other standout Gold Label athletes set to showcase strong performances include Laban Korir (Kenya) and Moses Kibet (Kenya) in the Men’s category, and Viola Kibiwot (Kenya), Sifan Demise (Ethiopia), and Sharon Arusho (Kenya) in the Women’s category.
For the winners in the World Athletics Gold Label Marathon race, in both the men and women’s category, the total prize money at stake is US$190,000 (approximately SG$245,955). The 1st place winner in both the men and women’s category will walk away with US$50,000 (approximately SG$64,680)
For a full breakdown of the prize money for World Athletics Gold Label Marathon race, please visit this page: https://www.singaporemarathon.com/registration/gold-label-elites/
Flatter race routes for SCSM 2025
This year’s race routes have been reimagined to highlight the Singapore’s landscape; from heritage architecture, panoramic waterfronts, lush gardens, to vibrant city streets. The redesigned route also removes key elevation points, including West Coast Highway and Sheares Avenue, offering a flatter course ideal for personal bests, which has received positive reception among participants, including athletes like Soh Rui Yong.
“The removal of Sheares Bridge will come as a relief to many,” Soh commented. “Overall, this new route is more enjoyable and will be great for anyone looking to set a new milestone.”
More than 45,000 runners, including more than 11,800 international participants, have already registered for SCSM 2025. Late pricing for the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km, 5km, Ekiden race (team of 4 runners) and Kids Dash are $197, $175, $131, $99, $545 (per team of 4) and $44 respectively. Prices are inclusive of processing fee and GST. Standard Chartered cardholders will enjoy a 15% discount off registration fees.
To register and for more information, please visit https://singaporemarathon.com/.