Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon to become 2-day event – could Hong Kong follow?
Organisers of Hong Kong’s race ‘will surely study’ Singapore move after event’s growth in past three editions
This year’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon will take place over two days because it has become so popular, organisers revealed on Tuesday, and Hong Kong officials said they could follow suit if it proved a success.
The change will see the half-marathon and marathon held separately, on the Saturday and Sunday respectively, on the weekend of December 6 and 7, with a children’s race, 5km, 10km and marathon relay also planned.
Officials said the move had been driven by an increase in runners over the past three editions of the event, with the marathon up 31 per cent and half-marathon 46 per cent in that time. More than 55,000 competitors took part last year.
The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in February attracted more than 74,000 runners, with marathon entries capped at 18,000 and the half-marathon at 24,500. There were also a 10km race, and a 10km wheelchair category.
Kwan Kee, chairman of the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA), and of the marathon’s management committee, said it was too early to say whether his organisation would follow Singapore’s lead.
“We will surely study how Singapore is doing it and we are considering many new ideas to enhance our marathon, but it is too early to say for now as we are only having the first management committee meeting [for the 2026 event] at the end of this month,” Kwan said. “Any new ideas are to be brought to the committee first so that we can discuss.”