SINGAPORE - The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) wrapped up the return of in-person mass participation running in Singapore on Sunday (Dec 5), with about 2,000 participants taking to the streets for a second day.
After a coronavirus-enforced hiatus in 2020, a total of 4,000 runners took part in the 2021 edition's Grand Finale, which saw participants spread out across four sessions at the weekend.
About 2,000 runners competed in the Ekiden (team of four) and 5km categories on Saturday, with the remaining participants doing the 10km across two sessions on Sunday.
In keeping with safe management measures, a maximum of 1,000 runners were allowed for each session with runners split into groups of 500 - waves of 50 with three runners were released every 10 seconds. Each participant also had to take a self-administered antigen rapid test.
Sport Singapore chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin said: "After a year's hiatus we have passed a major milestone and successfully staged a major in-person event. Seeing the event completed in a safe manner and in compliance with safe management measures proves that in-person mass participation events are possible in the current situation with some level of restrictions.
"I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the participants who ran in the event and to the organisers who worked tirelessly to make it possible. We really hope that this weekend marks a turning point in our efforts to Bring Sport Back safely!"
National runner Thiruben Thana Rajan, who competed in the 5km, said: "I have grown up together with this event and seeing how it has evolved was just an incredible feeling.
"The organisers also did a great job in maintaining the (safe management measures). There were a lot of gaps between each wave of runners and we were released in groups of three - that made me feel safe."
To mark Standard Chartered Bank's 20-year title sponsorship of the race, the event was broadcast live on Mediacorp's Channel 5 on Saturday and participants were given a specially designed T-shirt.
Santoz Kumar, general manager, Singapore, The Ironman Group, said: "What a journey! Two decades is a very long-time, and over the time, the race has multiplied significantly and has become a truly world-class running event.
"We would like to thank Standard Chartered Bank and all our partners for supporting this journey to help us create a race that's here for the community to run."
The SCSM will continue with the VR grand finale categories which end on Dec 12. Interested participants can still sign up for free for one or more of the following categories: VR marathon, VR grand finale 10km, VR grand finale 5km, VR half marathon, kids VR 1.5km, kids VR 3km.
Visit the SCSM website for more information.
