SINGAPORE BIATHLON DRAWS 7% MORE COMPETITORS

With a 7 percent increase in participation, the ninth Singapore Biathlon kicked off at East Coast Park on 7 Mar. This year's race saw 2,295 participants compete in a 1.5km swim and a 10km run, compared to last year's 2,152.

The SAFRA National Service Association and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) jointly organised the event.

Commander 3rd Division Brigadier-General Tan Chuan-Jin who finished in 1h:42mins:41s said: "Coming together and training for this kind of tough event is really good for us as everyone can get involved."

He noted: "While we are running the race individually, the support and months of training together make it very much a team event."

The Men's Open Category was flagged off at 8.30am by Minister of State for Defence and SAFRA President Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee. Other categories included the Men's Veteran, Women's Open, Women's Veteran and Team Challenge.

This year's biathlon also included the inaugural Youth Biathlon Awards, which saw 24 youths compete against one another. The award is a lead up to the upcoming Youth Olympic Games.

Two time Men's Open Winner Mok Ying Ren finished in first place with an impressive timing of 56mins:7s. For the Women's Open category, it was defending champion Trudy Fawcett who claimed the top honours shaving two minutes off her previous timing. She completed the biathlon in 1h:7mins:4s.

Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Govindasamy Parthiban, Brigade Sergeant Major, 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade, finished in 1h:47mins:41s. He shared that the heavy downpour actually caused the swim to be "especially demanding and a little disorientating".

For people who are considering taking part in future biathlons MWO Parthiban had this to say: "Please take the first step. Take it, and you will enjoy it. It may look daunting, but the moment you register, you will enjoy the journey."

In addition, Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral Chew Men Leong also presented 10 cheques worth a total of $151,792 to 10 charitable organisations. The funds were raised via the annual Navy Sprint Challenge, which was held in conjunction with the biathlon.