MARATHONER SOH OFFERED HIS DRINK TO INDONESIAN RIVAL, AS HE MISSED HIS WATER POINT

Dear A.S.S. Editor

In a sporting moment missed by almost every news outlet, it has been revealed that Singapore Marathoner, and all round good guy, Soh Rui Yong, performed a small act of sportsmanship during the men’s marathon at the SEA Games two weeks ago.

In the final loop of the 42.195km race, Soh and Indonesia’s Agus Prayogo were leading the pack when Prayogo missed his drink at a designated hydration point. Noticing this, Soh offered the remainder of his own isotonic drink to Prayogo. Prayogo declined Soh’s offer, but he praised the Singapore runner in an interview with Indonesian sports newswebsite DetikSport. He explained that he didn’t take up Soh’s offer because each athlete had his own drink. Soh later won the race, while Prayogo took silver.

This feel good story of the SEA Games has garnered such a huge following, and praises from netizens. But Soh himself said that he had forgotten about the incident until he saw the article online. Soh, who became the first Singaporean male marathoner to win back-to-back SEA Games titles, has praised Prayogo several times during this SEA Games.

This is not the first time that Soh has shown a gesture of sportsmanship during a race. In 2012, it was reported that the marathoner had stopped midway through the Army Half Marathon to check if compatriot Ashley Liew needed help after the latter tripped and fell at the 8km mark. Soh eventually won that race while Liew finished second.

Low GH

A.S.S. Contributor