SINGAPORE: By any account, marathoner Soh Rui Yong is coming home from this year’s SEA Games a winner, having finished second in the 10,000-metre final and setting a new national record of 31:10.70.
He is the third Singaporean man to win a SEA Games 10,000m medal after PC Suppiah won the gold in 1971 and Jagtar Singh the bronze in 1983.
However, it was Soh’s behaviour during the race that won’t quickly be forgotten. Indonesian runner Rikki Marthin Luther Simbolon, who eventually won the race with a time of 31:08.85, did not grab a bottle properly at the final water station of the race, but dropped it, not bothering to break his stride.
Soh, who was on his heels, successfully reached for a cup and poured some water over his head. But seconds later, he passed the cup to Simbolon, who was then able to take a drink.
“Sporting, absolutely sporting,” the commentator can be heard praising Soh in the clip below. “You cannot make that up. You cannot fake it either.”
“He’s a gentleman, this Soh Rui Yong. He just shared his water with Simbolon…That’s just remarkable. The sporting spirit is wonderful at the SEA Games.”
In a Friday morning (May 12) Facebook post, Soh wrote, “What a race!” and thanked the winner, with whom he appears to have made friends. He also congratulated the winner’s coach, Agung Mulyawan, “for producing yet another Indonesian champion”.
“Thank you Rikki Marthin Luther Simbolon of Indonesia for an epic SEA Games 10,000m final I’ll never forget. You were the fittest and bravest man to push an aggressive pace on a crazy hot day that peaked at 35 degrees Celcius, and a deserving champion.
Soh also thanked Indonesian runner Agus Prayogo “for sharing the track with me once again in what is likely our last ever SEA Games track race together.
“It’s been a real honour to be part of your legendary story. I feel honoured to have made friends like you guys through sports.”
/TISG