Vanessa Lee shatters Singapore's 30-year half-marathon record as Shaun Goh sets another national mark

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA: Vanessa Lee rewrote Singapore athletics history after breaking the women's half-marathon national record at the Gold Coast Marathon on 4 July 2026, ending a mark that had stood for three decades.

The 28-year-old crossed the finish line in 1:16:04 to finish 29th overall, eclipsing Yvonne Danson's previous national record of 1:16:29, which was set on 10 March 1996.

Lee's latest achievement adds to an expanding collection of national records, with the Singapore distance runner now holding seven national marks spanning events from the mile to the half-marathon.

Altitude training pays off

Lee credited a month of altitude training in Kunming, China, for helping her achieve the breakthrough after narrowly missing the record during an attempt in Melbourne last September.

"This national record was definitely the hardest mark by far. I gave it a shot last September at the Run Prix in Melbourne where I ran 1:18:07 but it wasn't the most ideal conditions," she said.

"This year, I went to Kunming, China for altitude training for about a month in preparation for this event, and the adrenaline I had at the finish line overcame me and I was so excited to meet all my other friends at the line."

Lee only began racing the half-marathon distance in 2022. She said the national 3,000m record is now "definitely in my sights", although finding a suitable race remains a challenge.

Her next major competitions include the 5km race at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Denmark in September, the 10,000m at the Asian Games in Japan later that month, before finishing the year at the BYD Singapore International Marathon from 4 to 6 December.

Goh also breaks national record

It was another memorable day for Singapore after Shaun Goh also set a new national record in the men's 10km road race.

The 29-year-old improved his own national mark from 31:00, set in 2024, to 30:41, finishing 10th overall.

Goh said altitude training in Switzerland helped prepare him despite feeling fatigued following a series of races in Europe.

"I'm super surprised by this performance," he said.

"For the first time in a while, I went into a race with very little expectations and pressure on myself. I was just enjoying the morning, supporting my friends in the half-marathon and going with the flow."

He added that the atmosphere kept him with the leading group longer than expected before he battled strong coastal headwinds over the closing stages.

Historic day for Singapore runners

This was the third occasion Lee and Goh have broken national records on the same day at a meet in Australia.

They first achieved the feat by setting 5km road records on the Gold Coast in July 2025 before both established 10,000m national records in Queensland a month later.

Goh said, "It made the day even more special seeing Vanessa break the half-marathon national record earlier that morning."

Lee replied: "He says I'm his lucky charm but I guess he's also mine."

According to Sportplus.sg, Singapore also topped international participation at this year's Gold Coast Marathon, with a record 792 runners competing across the two-day event, the nation's largest-ever contingent at the race.