SINGAPORE – The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) from Dec 1 to 3 will see the return of the International Elite Race and National Championships, after both events were dropped from the 2022 edition.

The total prize purse, which in 2022 saw a dip of close to 80 per cent from $344,000 to $70,000, will also increase to almost $300,000 for December’s race.

The annual event will also be a World Athletics Gold Label race for the first time since 2019, which will see some of the world’s top distance runners competing here in the International Elite Race.

In 2019, Kenya’s Joshua Kipkorir and Priscah Cherono were each awarded US$50,000 (S$66,800) after finishing first in the men’s and women’s marathon.

Jeff Edwards, managing director of Asia for the Ironman Group, said, “The positive feedback and success from last year were extremely encouraging and we, along with our partners, are focused on making the 2023 race experience even better.

“Enhancements are in the works not just to the routes, but the overall experience to really go beyond previous expectations.

“Apart from the return of the Elite Race, we also have several initiatives planned along the course to provide memorable experiences for runners, spectators and the overall community”.

Omission of the National Championships in 2022 had caused some unhappiness among the local running community as it was regarded as a highlight of the SCSM.

Two-time SEA Games gold medallist Soh Rui Yong, who was crowned national champion in 2017, 2018 and 2019, commended organisers for bringing back the championships.

He said: “This platform was always a good one for our best distance runners to showcase their abilities and for distance runners to transcend the insular bubble of track and field and into the mainstream public eye.”

Singapore Athletics president Lien Choong Luen said, “We look forward to witnessing our top athletes competing for the coveted title of national champion, while also allowing local runners to experience what it’s like to compete among elites at the region’s marquee event.

“Beyond the National Championships, we are also looking forward to delivering a race experience that engages the local running community, including community activities supporting the Kids Dash, 5km and 10km events.”

The championships will offer a prize purse of $90,000 across the marathon (open and masters) and half-marathon categories, with each one limited to only 15 men and 15 women.

Male and female winners of the open marathon will receive $10,000 each, followed by $5,000 each in the half-marathon and $3,000 each in the marathon masters.

While Soh was happy to see the return of the championships, he noted that the prize money should be increased as registration fees for the race have also gone up over the years.

He added: “It would be a positive move for SCSM to correspondingly increase the prize money pool to correlate with inflation and registration fee increases. I propose $15,000 to $20,000 for the winner, with similar increases for the other podium finishers.

“This would showcase SCSM’s commitment to supporting the development of Singaporean distance runners, while also increasing the race’s profile as one with even higher stakes and excitement.”

The three-day event will start with the Kids Dash on Dec 1, followed by the 5km and 10km the next day, while the marathon and half-marathon categories will flag off on Dec 3.

There will also be a new route that will take an expected 50,000 participants past “iconic landmarks through the city”, with more details to be revealed closer to the race.

Priority registration will open on Wednesday, 10am, for SCSM 300KM Club runners, with public registration starting a day later. Tier 1 pricing for the marathon, half-marathon, 10km, 5km and Kids Dash are $113, $95, $76, $58, and $38 respectively.

Register for the race at www.singaporemarathon.com.