National marathoner Soh Rui Yong will take on the role of ambassador for this year's Osim Sundown Marathon, in a first for the event.

The reigning SEA Games marathon champion was confirmed in a media statement as the face of the yearly night run and may take part in one of the shorter categories on May 28.

Currently in Kenya as part of his training preparations to qualify for August's Rio Olympics, he needs to shave more than seven minutes off his personal best of 2hr 26min 1sec to hit the 2:19 qualifying mark.

The 24-year-old said: "Osim Sundown is the largest night marathon in Asia, and being a part of something this significant is a huge privilege.

"I believe that the pursuit of my Olympic quest and contributing to the local running community goes hand in hand. As the Singapore running community grows stronger, so will the talent pool, and eventually, our top athletes."

With the new theme for this year's edition being "Limitless", Soh was selected as an athlete who "embodies dreaming big, going forward and pushing your limits", according to a spokesman for the event.

Adrian Mok, managing director of HiVelocity Events, the owner and organiser of the event, said: "Rui Yong is a great example of someone who exudes the passion and commitment to chase one's dreams against all odds."

The marathon, in its ninth edition, will kick off at the F1 Pit Building. Registration is expected to reach 30,000 this year.

Nicholas Tan