45,000 runners go ‘all-in’ to complete 84km in Southeast Asia’s only regional running championship.
After a series of races in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines, the adidas King of the Road came to a grand finale in Singapore. The Singapore leg started and ended at the city’s newest attraction, Gardens by the Bay.
In the crisp morning air, runners started to gather at the start pen. Everyone waited for the flag off; some were talking and others were doing little stretches to keep their muscles warm. The patient runners were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise.
The elite runners were ushered to the front and off we went. The elite runners got off to a flying start. In the end, the Philippines racers battled vigorously to claim bragging rights as Southeast Asia’s best. ‘King’ Eduardo Beunavista finished with a time of 53 minutes 12 seconds while ‘Queen’ Mary Grace Delos Santos clocked 1 hour 1 minute 52 seconds.
“I’m very happy with adidas KOTR. It’s nice to see the global leader in running bringing together passionate runners from all over the region,” said Eduardo Beunavista.
Mary Grace Delos Santos said that she would welcome competing at adidas KOTR and returning to Singapore again next year.
Our Singapore athletes did us proud too. Melvin Wong and Ivan Low came in 6th and 7th positions respectively. “The thing that sets adidas KOTR apart from all other races is the route,” said Melvin Wong.
The 12,000 runners in today’s run were given an experience like none before. KOTR Singapore is one of the first few running events held at Gardens by the Bay this year. The adidas KOTR routes passed through some of the most scenic and exciting landmarks each city has to offer. In Singapore, the runners navigated through Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, the Esplanade, Arts Science Museum and the Singapore Flyer.
I always look forward to races organised by adidas. Not just because the race packs are always loaded with goodness but also because of the impeccable organisation of the races.
From the race pack, everyone was given a different coloured racing vest. This morning, it was a spectacular colourful sight that reflected the vibrancy of the sporting and running scene in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Despite the morning sun relentlessly beating down on the runners, the passionate runners were ‘all-in’. I was thankful for the scenic route and the well spaced out hydration stations. The cheering supporters and lively DJs gave the runners a “boost” in the final strides.
“To watch each runner aim to achieve his or her personal best across all five countries is truly an inspiration. This was precisely the vision of adidas KOTR when we initiated the original concept of hosting a regional running competition last year,” said Amit DasGupta, Director, Brand, adidas Southeast Asia.
At the end of the race, all had truly run their hearts out. The runners were ‘all-in’ to become kings and queens of the road.
