Part 4
Written by Amir Rusyaidi Osman
Edited by Emmy Kwan
SEA Games
BREAKDOWN
9 Months Out: LONG DISTANCE
Published 16 March 2025
5000m
Few events in Singaporean distance running have seen as much rapid progress as the 5000m. Across both the men’s and women’s fields, new names have emerged, personal bests have tumbled, and national records have been rewritten multiple times.
On the women’s side, the event has never been deeper—six athletes broke 19 minutes in 2024 alone, a testament to the event’s growing strength. Leading the charge is none other than Vanessa Lee, the reigning national record holder and the undisputed queen of the 5000m. In 2024, she delivered four sub-18-minute performances, including a stunning 17:26.62 in June that erased Goh Chui Ling’s national record by over six seconds. But Vanessa wasn’t done. Just last week, she shattered her own mark, slicing nearly 20 seconds off her previous best to clock an incredible 17:06.69. With that time dipping under the SEA Games qualifying standard, her spot in Bangkok is all but secured.
That leaves the question: who joins her?
For me, the answer is clear—Nicole Low. No one has made a bigger leap in this event over the past year. The 2024 National Champion has transformed herself from a 19:00.54 runner into a true contender, slashing more than a minute off her PB. In November, she ran 17:51.94, and in the same race where Vanessa broke the national record, she obliterated her own best, clocking 17:21.29—just seven seconds shy of the SEA Games standard of 17:13.63. Now sitting second only to her training partner Vanessa on Singapore’s all-time list, Nicole’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable.
With Vanessa already locked in, Nicole’s rapid progression and undeniable momentum makes her my pick for Singapore’s second SEA Games representative in the 5000m. The men’s 5000m has been equally electrifying, with rapid improvements shaking up the national landscape.​
Few athletes embody this progress more than Shaun Goh Boon He. Under the guidance of coach Jordan Donnelly, Shaun has flourished, slashing over 36 seconds off his 5000m PB in just over a year. What was once a 15:44.82 mark in April 2023 became 15:08.11 by June 2024—at the time, the 6th fastest in Singaporean history. Then, last week, he took another leap forward, joining an elite group of runners: the sub-15 5000m club. Shaun clocked 14:57.44, cutting over 10 seconds off his previous best and catapulting himself to 3rd all-time, trailing only national record holder Soh Rui Yong (14:44.21) and former record holder Mok Ying Ren (14:51.09).
His aerobic base is unquestionable, with strong PBs in the 10,000m and half marathon, but what makes Shaun particularly dangerous in the 5000m is his growing speed endurance. At All Comers 1 (2025), he threw down one of the fastest 1500m times of the year, clocking 4:04.94—proof that he has the range to close hard when it counts. The balance of strength and finishing speed suggests that Shaun isn’t done yet, and if he keeps this trajectory, the national record could be within reach.
For the second SEA Games spot, the battle is far from settled.
Jon Lim has quickly established himself as one of Singapore’s most promising distance runners. His 15:18.98 PB places him 11th all-time, and for context, Soh Rui Yong, Singapore’s national record holder, had a best of 15:36.02 at the same age. Jon’s rapid rise has made him a serious contender, but what truly sets him apart is his championship experience. In the past year alone, he has proudly donned the Singapore vest at the ASEAN University Games in Surabaya and the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, gaining invaluable exposure to high-caliber international racing.​
Of course, some might argue that experience at the SEA Games level matters just as much as progression. That’s where Soh Rui Yong, whose national records speak for themselves, and Jeevaneesh Soundararajah, a seasoned veteran with a 15:10.43 PB, come into the picture.
Ultimately, it’s a choice between proven experience or rising potential.
Call it recency bias, but until Jeevaneesh returns to his best, Jon Lim is my pick for the second SEA Games spot.
10,000m
The 10,000m is a tricky event—not just because of the sheer endurance required, but also because of the tactical choices that come into play for multi-event distance runners.
​
Goh Chui Ling is already a SEA Games bronze medalist in this event and has proven her ability to handle a packed schedule. Back in 2022, she pulled off a remarkable feat, contesting the 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and 10,000m at the SEA Games. If she is willing to take on a similarly grueling challenge in 2025, it would be nothing short of incredible.
​
With a best of 36:29.75 in April 2024, Chui Ling is the fastest active Singaporean over 10,000m. However, I’m looking at someone else for the SEA Games selection—Vanessa Lee.
Vanessa, the 5000m national record holder, has quietly been building momentum in the longer distances. In 2024, she improved her 10,000m PB to 36:51.55, now third on Singapore’s all-time list. But what makes her selection even more compelling is her range and endurance—she is the national half marathon champion (2023) and holds the second-fastest half marathon time in Singapore’s history. Given her rapid improvement over the past year, Vanessa is primed for a major breakthrough, and the SEA Games 10,000m could be the perfect stage for it.
Alongside Vanessa, the second SEA Games spot will go to Nicole Low. Now 2nd all-time in the 5000m, Nicole continued her meteoric rise in 2024, slicing over a minute and a half off her 10,000m PB. Her 37:37.68 effort now ranks her 7th all-time, and with her rate of improvement, she could push even further into the national top five in the coming months.
​
With Vanessa and Nicole leading the charge, the women’s 10,000m squad will feature two of Singapore’s fastest-ever long-distance runners, both of whom are hitting their peak at just the right time.
For years, Soh Rui Yong has been the undisputed king of Singaporean distance running. A two-time SEA Games marathon champion (2015, 2017), he continues to push boundaries in every event he races. In November 2024, he ran 31:11.37 at the Tokai University Long Distance
Challenge 10,000m, comfortably meeting the SEA Games qualification standard.
With his championship pedigree and tactical intelligence, Rui Yong remains the greatest 10,000m runner Singapore has ever produced. However, with the marathon historically being the first athletics event at the SEA Games, it is unlikely that he will double in the 10,000m, as the marathon demands a heavy toll on the body. That leaves the door open for a new generation to step up in the 25-lap event.
Shaun Goh’s SEA Games debut in the 10,000m (2023) was far from ideal—battling illness, he finished well off his potential. But instead of dwelling on setbacks, Shaun responded in the best way possible: by leveling up.
Since then, he has slashed nearly 40 seconds off his PB, dropping from 33:14.18 to 32:34.22, making him the 5th fastest Singaporean ever over the distance. He also won the 2024 National Half Marathon Championships and clocked a stunning 1:07:26 at the Valencia Half Marathon, ranking him third all-time in Singapore.
His breakthrough year was capped off by a historic moment: breaking the national 10km road record. Shaun’s 31:00 effort erased Rui Yong’s previous mark, making him the fastest Singaporean ever over 10,000m on the road. While he just missed becoming the first Singaporean to break 31 minutes over any surface (road, track, or cross country), the fact remains—Shaun is in the best shape of his life.
The second SEA Games spot, in my view, should go to Jon Lim.
A two-time IVP Games champion over 5000m and 10,000m, Jon has been steadily building his resume against top competition. He finished second to Shaun at the 2023 National Half Marathon Championships and represented Singapore at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, clocking 33:41 for 10km.
But it was at the ASEAN University Games where Jon made his biggest statement—running 31:56.91 against elite regional competition, becoming only the 4th Singaporean in history to break 32 minutes on the track and winning a bronze medal at the Games.
With Shaun and Jon both improving at a rapid rate, and Rui Yong already qualified for the marathon, my picks for Singapore’s two SEA Games 10,000m spots are clear: Shaun Goh and Jon Lim.
With these two pushing each other, 2025 could finally be the year a Singaporean breaks the 31-minute barrier. The 10,000m battle is heating up, and with SEA Games spots on the line, the next few months will determine who’s truly ready to step up on the regional stage.
Marathon
The marathon is a race of patience, resilience, and relentless pursuit. And Rachel See has proven time and again that she has all three in abundance.
At the 2023 Gold Coast Marathon, she clocked 2:50:54—the fastest marathon by a Singaporean woman in 15 years and the 4th fastest in national history. In doing so, she didn’t just secure a spot among Singapore’s greats—she rewrote the narrative of women’s long-distance running in the country.
​
A two-time national marathon champion (2023, 2024), Rachel has built her dominance step by step, race by race. Her half marathon best of 1:22:07 makes her Singapore’s 3rd fastest woman ever over 21.1km, reinforcing her ability to sustain high speeds over long distances. With experience, strength, and championship pedigree, she is the undisputed front runner for the SEA Games team.
But the marathon is never a one-woman show.
Enter Goh Shing Ling—a name that, just a year ago, wasn’t in the marathon conversation. Now, she’s right in the thick of it.
Shing Ling has emerged as one of Singapore’s most exciting new endurance talents, climbing the top 10 all-time lists for the 5000m (8th), 10,000m (7th), and marathon (6th). Her 2:56:07 at the 2023 Gold Coast Marathon marked a stunning breakthrough, proving that she belongs among the nation’s best.
What’s even more impressive? She’s only raced three marathons.
With every start line, she’s learning, adapting, and closing the gap on the best. If her progression continues, the SEA Games could be her next big step.
In Singaporean marathon history, one name towers above the rest—Soh Rui Yong.
The national record holder (2:22:59) and two-time SEA Games champion (2015, 2017) is no stranger to the big stage. When he last raced the SEA Games marathon, he won gold. And while he has since diversified his racing focus, his performances in 2023 and 2024 have proven that he remains a force to be reckoned with.
At the 2023 SEA Games, he smashed his own national 10,000m record (31:10.70) to claim silver, and later that year, he rewrote his national half marathon record (1:06:45). If anyone is going to take the fight to Southeast Asia’s best, it’s Rui Yong.
His SEA Games selection is objectively a foregone conclusion, especially since he has already achieved the qualifying standard. The only question? Who will join him.
For years, the gap between Singapore’s marathon legends and the rest of the field was vast. Henry He Yong is proving that gap is closing.
At 42 years old, Henry is defying expectations and racing at a level most athletes half his age can only dream of. Since 2023, he has completed six out of nine marathons under 2:40, in vastly different conditions, showcasing his adaptability and endurance across all terrains.
Then, at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, he delivered his biggest statement yet—a personal best of 2:33:55, making him Singapore’s 8th fastest marathoner of all time.
But beyond just fast times, Henry brings something else to the table—experience in representing Singapore on the international stage. He has already donned national colors at the Asian Marathon Championships, proving that he can perform under pressure in high-stakes races. Now, he has the opportunity to bring that experience to the SEA Games.
Not only does he already hold the SEA Games qualification standard, but his consistent sub-2:40 performances suggest that he isn’t done improving yet. The question now is no longer whether he belongs—it’s whether he can crack 2:30 and join Singapore’s marathon elites.
But there’s one wildcard that could shake things up—Caleb Hia.
At the 2024 London Marathon, Caleb clocked 2:30:15, making him Singapore’s 4th fastest marathoner in history and putting him just 16 seconds away from the elusive sub-2:30 club. Though he has yet to represent Singapore at a major international competition, his ceiling is immense, and if he builds on that performance in the coming months, he could mount a serious challenge for the second SEA Games spot.
With Rui Yong chasing another SEA Games medal, Henry proving that age is no barrier, and Caleb looming as a potential disruptor, Singapore’s marathon selection will be one of the most fascinating races to watch unfold.
WRAPPING UP
Singapore’s long-distance success has been carried by a select few for years. But in 2025, that narrative is shifting.
With Vanessa Lee rewriting records, Nicole Low making her breakthrough, and Shaun Goh and Jon Lim pushing new limits on the track, the next generation of distance runners is here. Rachel See continues to lead the marathon charge, while Henry He Yong’s resurgence proves that Singapore’s road warriors are stronger than ever. And at the heart of it all, Soh Rui Yong remains the gold standard, still chasing greatness.
But times alone won’t decide the SEA Games team. Endurance, race execution, and one perfect performance at the right moment will make all the difference.
One thing is certain—the 2025 SEA Games will be this generation's biggest test yet.
PREDICTED SEA GAMES 2025 TEAM
EVENTS | MALE | FEMALE |
|---|---|---|
Long Jump | CONRAD EMERY, ANDREW GEORGE MEDINA | TIA LOUISE ROZARIO, CHLOE CHEE |
Triple Jump | GABRIEL LEE, ANDREW GEORGE MEDINA | TIA LOUISE ROZARIO, ZHONG CHUHAN |
High Jump | KAMPTON KAM, BRANDON HENG | MICHELLE SNG, JADE CHEW |
Pole Vault | LOW JUN YU, KOH WEI SHIEN | CHERLIN SIA, ESTHER TAY |