WORLD CHAMP FOR SINGAPORE MARATHON – Luke Kibet of Kenya and Edith Masai

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon takes another major step forward, with the addition of world champion, Luke Kibet of Kenya to the field for Sunday, December 7.

The race can already claim to be the best organised in South-east Asia, with by far the biggest entry for the region.

Kibet, 25, was the first Kenyan in 20 years to win the world title, in Osaka 2007. But his best time of 2.08.52 came two years earlier in Eindhoven, Netherlands. That was within a year of switching from his original event, the steeplechase.

Kibet comes from the western highlands of Kenya, and trains in Eldoret, a town with probably the highest concentration of gold medallists and world record holders than anywhere in the world. But it was also the location for some of the riots which followed national elections a year ago, and Kibet was injured by a flying rock, and had to have stitches and several days off training.

The women’s field in Singapore is equally graced by another Kenyan world champion. Edith Masai, winner of three world cross country titles is, at 41 years old, reaching perhaps the twilight of her career. But after an eighth place in the world championships in Osaka last year, she returns to the city-state, eager to better her second place there three months later.

Singapore’s location, with permanently warm temperatures and high humidity, similar in fact to Osaka in summer, means that world records are pretty much out of the question. But it is testament to the excellent organisation and beautiful shoreline course (for much of the race) that over 50,000 applied to enter one the three events in this, the revamped race’s seventh year. And over 15,000 of them will run the full marathon.

Pat Butcher
www.globerunner.org