SINGAPORE – Winning the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) can be life-changing.
For Kenya’s Ezekiel Omullo, it meant being able to “upgrade” his small chicken farm to a thriving sheep farm in Eldoret, a town in western Kenya.
No wonder the 2022 champion is chasing the winning feeling again in Dec 3’s full marathon.
Making his SCSM debut in 2022, Omullo collected the $10,000 winner’s cheque after crossing the line in 2hr 20min 20sec.
With the event returning in 2023 as a World Athletics Gold Label race, the prize money for the International Elite Race winner has quadrupled to US$30,000 (S$40,000).
The 35-year-old, who was at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre for a meet-and-greet event on Nov 30, told The Straits Times: “Last year, after winning the Singapore marathon, I used the money to start a new business.
“I bought sheep. I started with 15 and it is growing good and now I have 35-40 sheep in my farm. My family is very happy.
“Races give me a lot. Whether it is Singapore or other places, it gives me the motivation and I love it because I have passion for running. I always train hard to win them.”
Sheep farming in Kenya is viewed as a profitable business due to a high demand for sheep products such as meat, wool and hides at local markets or neighbouring countries.
In an interview with ST after his 2022 win, Omullo recalled how the Covid-19 outbreak halted competitions and a lack of international races meant no prize money for two years.
After discussions with his wife, he purchased a small plot of land and bought over 50 chickens to start his own farm. By selling eggs to local hotels and restaurants, the father of two would make about 5,000 Kenyan shillings (S$43) a week.
Thanks to his 2022 prize purse, sheep farming has allowed Omullo and his family to thrive.
He has also become a better runner in the past year, focusing on muscle building to enhance his speed and endurance. He was second at the 2023 Gold Coast Marathon in July, clocking a personal-best 2:08:26.
He believes the SCSM competition will be much stiffer this time. Organisers expect the three-day event to draw 44,000 participants, with over 8,000 international runners in the marathon.
Said Omullo: “My plan for this year is, first of all, to pray to God to give me to win again. Because this time, a lot of athletes are invited, so it’s a very strong field.
“I hope for the best for this year. I want to defend my title and my aim is to run faster than last year.”
The SCSM will finish its races at the National Stadium. In previous years, the finish line had been at The Float @ Marina Bay, which is undergoing redevelopment to become NS Square.
The Dec 1-3 event also includes Dec 3’s half-marathon and Dec 2’s 5km and 10km events, while the F1 Pit Building will host a kids’ 650m dash on Dec 1.
Local athletes are also buoyed by the return of the SCSM as the National Championships. Its omission in 2022 had caused unhappiness among them, as it was regarded as one of the SCSM’s highlights.
Soh Rui Yong, who won the National Championships from 2017 to 2019 and clinched the SEA Games marathon gold in 2015 and 2017, will also be competing in the 42.195km race.
Soh, who last ran a marathon in Valencia in 2021, said: “It’s fantastic to have the National Championships back. I’ve had a great year and look forward to closing 2023 with a good performance at SCSM.
“My plan is to run with my fellow Singaporeans and encourage them for as long as possible. I’ll still try to win at the end, of course.”
