Singapore’s distance running scene witnessed a defining moment at the 5KM road race at the 2025 Gold Coast Marathon on 5 July as Vanessa Lee and Shaun Goh both shattered national records.
Lee continued her remarkable run of form in 2025, crossing the finish line in a blazing 16:57. This marks her third national record of the year, adding to her previous achievements in the 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase on the track. With five national records now to her name, Lee’s versatility across both road and track cements her status as one of Singapore’s most formidable all-rounders.
“My goal coming into this race was to break the 5km national road record of 17:08, and with the sun out and the temperature around 20 degrees Celsius, the conditions were ideal for me,” Lee shared.
“I’m especially grateful that everything came together on race day because the 48 hours leading up to it were chaotic. Both my flights were delayed, I took 24 hours just to get from Singapore to Gold Coast, and I was feeling under the weather as well.” Lee finished the fourth fastest female in this race.
In the men’s field, Goh delivered an equally spectacular performance, clocking 14:49 to eclipse the previous national mark of 15:08. It’s his first national record of the year and second overall, signalling a strong return to form after a stretch of challenging races.
“My goal was to break the record, so I’m super stoked to come away with a 14:49,” said Goh. “The race went amazing. There was a solid group of guys going at sub-15 pace, and I just tucked in for the first 3km. Things started to slow down a little after that, but I still felt strong and managed to pick off quite a few runners in the final stretch to finish fifth overall. It feels incredibly rewarding.”
With both athletes finishing inside the top five and rewriting the national record books, this double breakthrough signals a new era for Singaporean distance running — one marked by growing depth, resilience, and ambition on the international stage.
