The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is back. With a mass start and road race format, the event returns in its true form for the first time since 2019, with the half marathon and full marathon categories to cater to more runners.
Last year's edition, the largest in-person running event held in Singapore since the COVID-19 pandemic began, saw 4,000 runners start in waves of 50 to ensure safe distancing. Only the 5K, 10K and the relay categories were held in-person to keep the participant numbers low. With events in Singapore reopening to full capacity, this year's race is expected to draw up to 50,000 participants over the two-day event in December.
Road closures are expected to provide runners an enjoyable experience running through the city once again, while ensuring that road traffic continues to run smoothly.
"After SCSM2021, we've been constantly monitoring the status of the pandemic in Singapore while working closely with Sport Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Standard Chartered Bank, and all other stakeholders to determine the format for the 2022 edition. With the restrictions easing, we are delighted to be able to organise an event that our runners have grown to love year after year," said Jeff Edwards, Managing Director of Asia for The IRONMAN Group. "We have full confidence that this year's event will mark the safe return of mass participation events as we come back bigger and better than before, with more in-person race categories and a mass start."
A new logo for the SCSM was unveiled to celebrate the return of the full event and represents the roots of this long-standing race. The logo highlights two of Singapore's most famous icons: the Merlion and the Orchid. The Merlion, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, is a Singapore icon that is featured in the new marathon logo to signify the event's positioning as a city race. The Orchid, is known to symbolise hardiness and resilience -- qualities that reflect the Singapore spirit to go beyond and achieve greatness by defying limits and boundaries.
"As we welcome more visitors back to Singapore, premier sporting events such as the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2022 will reinforce our position as a leading destination for sports in the region and boost our reputation as a vibrant business and lifestyle destination," Keith Tan, the CEO of the Singapore Tourism Board said. "We are excited to welcome back runners from all over the world to experience the sights and sounds of our beautiful city and hope they will enjoy their time here."
The two-day event will kick off with the 5K and 10K races on Saturday morning. The marathon and half marathon will start on Sunday morning.