National marathoner Soh Rui Yong set a new national best in the half-marathon on Sunday, clocking 1hr 7min 21sec at the San Jose Rock N' Roll Half Marathon in California.

His timing improves Mok Ying Ren's record of 1:07:29, set at the Christchurch Marathon in June last year.

Mok, who also ran in the same event and is currently training in Boulder, Colorado, clocked 1:08:22.

The result means Soh, who also won the SEA Games marathon this year, is now Singapore's top distance runner. He also holds the national record in the 10km event, and with a personal best of 2:26:01 in the marathon, is the Republic's fastest active marathoner.

He told The Straits Times in a phone interview shortly after crossing the finish line: "This record is something I've been trying to get for a long time.

"Conditions were great. It was warm enough to go without arm sleeves or long socks, but cool enough to run well. The course was flat, not many hills. The conditions were as good as we can ask for."

Soh, 24, took part in the San Jose event after a 40-day high-altitude training stint in Flagstaff, Arizona. He had also trained there before competing in the SEA Games in June.

He is using the race to secure a berth in the Singapore team for the World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff next March. His next race is the Fukuoka Marathon in December.

Both Soh and Mok are hoping to qualify for next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The qualifying mark is 2:17, well under Murugiah Rameshon's national record of 2:24:22, set in 1995. Mok's personal best is 2:26:30.