Part 3
Written by Amir Rusyaidi Osman, Jon Lim
Edited by Emmy Kwan
SEA Games
BREAKDOWN
9 Months Out: MIDDLE DISTANCE
800m
Published 13 March 2025
To call Goh Chui Ling a middle-distance specialist would be a disservice to her sheer versatility. The former heptathlete boasts personal bests that stretch across the spectrum, from 12.30 in the 100m to a national record 4:26.33 in the 1500m. Her 2:07.79 800m PB (2023) is the second fastest time ever ran by a Singaporean woman in the 800m.
Her SEA Games resume speaks for itself—bronze in the 800m and 1500m in 2023, bronze in the 1500m and 10,000m in 2022. Though she has yet to race the 800m in 2025, her recent 5000m (17:33.73) and 10,000m (36:29.75) performances indicate that she is laying the groundwork for something big. If she returns to the 800m this year, there is no doubt that she will reclaim her throne as Singapore’s No. 1 half-miler.
However, right on her heels is Romaine Soh, whose steady rise has made her one of the most exciting names in Singapore’s middle-distance scene. Since 2021, she has shaved over four seconds off her PB, now standing at 2:14.98. She has been remarkably consistent in 2024, recording four sub-2:20 performances—a testament to her growing strength.
More importantly, Romaine is closing the gap at the regional level. She ranked 8th in the region in 2024, meaning that a SEA Games final is within reach. If she breaks into the 2:10s, she will not just cement her place among Singapore’s all-time greats but become a serious SEA Games contender.
For years, Singapore’s men’s 800m lacked a true breakthrough talent. But 2024 changed everything.
At the forefront of this resurgence is Thiruben Thana Rajan, whose return to the 800m scene has been nothing short of spectacular. When he first broke onto the scene as a schoolboy, his 1:55.40 National Schools record hinted at immense potential—potential that he finally turned into reality in 2024. At the 2024 Nagase Cup in Japan, he slashed his PB to 1:53.39, breaking into Singapore’s top five all-time list. But he wasn’t done. Weeks later, at the SA Inter Club Championships, he obliterated his PB once again, clocking 1:51.73—a time that places him 3rd all-time, within striking distance of the national record.
Alongside him, Zubin Percy Muncherji—Singapore’s 400m national record holder (47.02)—has proved that his speed extends far beyond one lap. His 1:53.69 from his 800m debut at the 2024 Nagase Cup made him the 6th fastest Singaporean in history, and with his 600m indoor record (1:18.60), it was only a matter of time before he made his mark in the 800m.
Now behind this duo, arguably the biggest revelation of 2024 has been Jayden Tan. At just 19 years old, he shattered his PB by over 5 seconds—going from 1:59.61 (Nov 2023) to 1:54.33 (Nov 2024). He now stands at 9th all-time and has Thiruben and Zubin in his sights. If his trajectory continues, Singapore could soon have three world-class 800m runners fighting for SEA Games spots.
The last time Singapore stood on a SEA Games 800m podium was 1973, when Serjit Singh won bronze. With Thiruben and Zubin leading the charge, Singapore has two top-of-the-line 800m runners ready to take on the region. If their trajectory continues, a return to the SEA Games podium may not be as far away as it seems.
1500m
If the 800m is a test of speed and endurance, the 1500m is a test of race craft—and no one has mastered that balance better than Goh Chui Ling. With a national record of 4:26.33 and two consecutive SEA Games bronzes (2022, 2023), she has spent the last five years among the best in Southeast Asia. Whether it’s a tactical championship race or an all-out time trial, Chui Ling has proven she can deliver on the big stage.
But as the queen continues her reign, a challenger is closing in.
Romaine Soh is no longer just a promising talent—she is the present and future of Singapore’s middle distance. She has climbed to 6th all-time in the 1500m, with a PB of 4:43.41 from the 2024 Taiwan Open, and is Singapore’s most consistent performer over the distance this season. In 2024, Romaine ran four fastest times of the year among Singaporean women, proving that her growth is undeniable.
The numbers don’t lie—regionally, Romaine ranked 9th in Southeast Asia last year, putting her on the cusp of breaking into the SEA Games final. If she can cut her time down into the 4:30s, she won’t just be running in the final—she could be fighting for a medal.
With Chui Ling’s established dominance and Romaine’s relentless rise, Singapore’s women’s 1500m future has never looked brighter.
In Singapore’s ever-shifting 1500m landscape, one thing is clear—the next generation has arrived.
For years, Jeevaneesh Soundararajah carried the torch for Singaporean milers, clocking 4:00.19 at the 2021 SEA Games—a benchmark that has stood unchallenged for years. But with the emergence of Oliver Lim and the continued rise of Amir Rusyaidi Osman, that may soon change.
Oliver Lim has been on a meteoric rise. After dropping his 800m best from 2:01.68 to 1:56.09 in a single season, he shifted his focus to the metric mile and made an immediate impact. He clocked 4:08.41 in his debut, then stunned the field by lowering his PB to 4:01.49 in just his second 1500m race ever. He was Singapore’s top 1500m runner in 2024, and in 2025, the newly minted IVP champions is proving it was no fluke, opening his season with a 4:06.21. His ability to consistently dip under two minutes in the 800m over the past year is a testament to his steady progression, showcasing both speed and endurance—key ingredients for success in tactical championship racing.
Then there’s Amir, whose range and progression are nothing short of remarkable. Since 2024, he has consistently gone under 4:10, but in March 2025, he took things to another level—shattering the four-minute barrier with a 3:59.61, just 0.25 seconds shy of the SEA Games qualifying mark. That performance makes him the fastest Singaporean since 2020 and only the 17th Singaporean in history to break four minutes. With his growing strength in the 3000m and 5000m, along with sub-2 800m speed, Amir has established himself as one of the most well-rounded middle-distance runners in Singapore today.
Not to be overlooked, Ethan Yan—a 2022 SEA Games finalist, 3000m and Mile National Indoor Record Holder—remains a key player in Singapore’s 1500m scene. After lowering his PB to 4:03.85 in March 2025, he brings both experience and tactical intelligence, an invaluable asset in high-stakes championship racing. His presence, alongside Oliver and Amir, means that competition for SEA Games spots will be fiercer than ever.
And they aren’t alone.
Behind them, a wave of rising stars is making their presence felt. Shaun Goh (4:04.94), Adarsh Aravinth (4:07.06), and 16-year-old Oliver Fiore (4:07.70) have all shown that they aren’t far off from the top names. Their continued improvement will only make the men’s 1500m even deeper in the coming years.
For the first time in a long time, Singapore’s men’s 1500m is stacked with talent.
Amir and Oliver Lim have proven themselves as Singapore’s top two milers, and they are my picks for the SEA Games. But with Ethan, Shaun, and a rapidly improving pack closing in, they will need to stay sharp if they want to cement their spots on the team.
3000mSC
Few events test an athlete’s strength, rhythm, and technical ability quite like the steeplechase. And in 2024, Vanessa Lee proved that she has all the tools to master it.
Her national record-breaking 11:09.16 was a statement, but what made it even more impressive was how she did it—completely solo, without competition to push her.
And yet, Vanessa’s potential in the steeplechase goes beyond one race. She is already Singapore’s 5000m national record holder (17:06.69), meaning she has the endurance to handle the demands of the event. She is also 7th all-time in the 1500m (4:44.75), showing that she has the leg speed to close hard.
All that’s left is to get more steeplechase races in her legs. If she can continue refining her hurdling technique and water jump efficiency, breaking 11 minutes is within reach—and with that, a SEA Games qualification could be on the horizon.
For nearly a decade, Singapore has been missing from the SEA Games men’s steeplechase lineup. The last time the nation had representation in the event was in 2015, when Shah Feroz and Colin Tung raced on home soil. Since then, the event has been a deserted battlefield, with only one man—Nabin Parajuli (9:27.70, 2019)—coming close to breaking the drought in recent years.
Then came February 2025, and with it, a spark of hope.
Amir Rusyaidi Osman took on the steeplechase for the first time—and in his debut, clocked a stunning 9:36.52.
That performance didn’t just put him 10th all-time in Singaporean history—it was also the fastest steeplechase time by a Singaporean since 2019. More importantly, it showed that he has the potential to go much, much faster.
Unlike flat-distance races, the steeplechase is a technical battlefield, demanding mastery over hurdles, pacing, and the dreaded water jump. But Amir is already ahead of the curve. His recent aerobic breakthroughs (15:45 5K, 9:06 3K) prove that he has the strength to handle the gruelling nature of the event, while his sub-2 800m speed suggests that he can close hard when it matters most.
The SEA Games standard sits at 8:55.05—a steep climb from his 9:36 debut, but not impossible. If he refines his hurdling efficiency and gains more race experience, Singapore’s long absence from SEA Games steeplechase could soon come to an end.
With Vanessa and Amir leading the charge, Singapore may finally see steeplechase representation at the SEA Games for the first time in a decade.
WRAPPING UP
For years, the stage has been set by the few, but now, the script is changing. Chui Ling’s dominance, Romaine's rise, Vanessa’s record-breaking form, Thiruben's resurgence, Zubin's range, Oliver’s breakthroughs, Amir's versatility, and Jayden's emergence—all signs of a middle-distance renaissance.
But in middle distance, numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Tactics matter. Race craft matters. When the bell rings, it’s not just about strength—it’s about who has the sharpest mind, the fastest kick, the heart to go where others cannot.
The 2025 SEA Games won’t just be a competition—it will be a reckoning. The resurgence isn’t coming. It’s already here.
* results obtained via Singapore Athletics archives and the respective World Athletics pages
PREDICTED SEA GAMES 2025 TEAM
EVENTS | MALE | FEMALE |
|---|---|---|
800M | THIRUBEN THANA RAJAN, ZUBIN MUNCHERJI | GOH CHUI LING, ROMAINE SOH |
1500M | OLIVER LIM, AMIR RUSYAIDI OSMAN | GOH CHUI LING, ROMAINE SOH |
3000MSC | AMIR RUSYAIDI OSMAN | VANESSA LEE |