‘Nobody will ever forget me': Soh Rui Yong on his rollercoaster career and desire to represent Singapore

CNA

8 hours ago

SINGAPORE: Soh Rui Yong believes he has grown as a person – and that getting hitched in 2023 has something to do with it.
'When you get married, you can be right, but you'll still be wrong,' said the man who is arguably Singapore's greatest marathoner and more indisputably his country's most outspoken athlete.
'Sometimes ... deep in your heart you know you're not that wrong. But you know that for the sake of cohabitation and existence, that you'll put your hand up and (say) 'It's my fault. I will shoulder the blame'.'
Such a conciliatory, mellow approach might seem, at first glance, to challenge what Soh has come to be known for throughout an athletics career spanning over a decade.
Alongside the colours of three Southeast Asian Games medals and multiple national records there have been controversies including lawsuits, divisive social media posts and exclusions from major meets.
But even after the latest kerfuffle - he was left out of a preliminary list for the upcoming SEA Games - the 34-year-old said he has little, if not nothing, to be sorry about.
'In this life, don't have regrets ... decisions that you made 10 years ago - what's the point of regretting? You cannot go back and change it,' he told CNA in an hour-long virtual interview from the United Kingdom, where he's now based.
Soh said it was precisely because of the headlines and incidents that "nobody will ever forget me as a Singapore athlete".
'And I say that very truthfully, without attempting to sound arrogant.'
He compared himself to medal-winning athletes who he said were quickly forgotten because 'there's really nothing to talk about' until they compete again.
'But my name keeps coming up, and because of that, ironically, we are in this situation where people will remember me for better or for worse.'
And Soh fully intends to keep making memories.
He's already looking ahead to the 2029 SEA Games hosted in Singapore - he will be 38 by then - and also aims to continue winning the Singapore Marathon national title, at least until he's 40.
'You won't see the end of me anytime soon,' he laughed.
STEPPING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
Soh first burst onto the scene in 2015, winning marathon gold in his debut SEA Games and on home soil to boot.
He repeated the feat in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, despite being almost kicked out of the team for breaching the Singapore National Olympic Council's rules to do with promoting personal sponsors on social media.
Then came the other headlines over matters away from the racetrack. He repeatedly disputed former teammate Ashley Liew's sportsmanship act during the 2015 SEA Games, which led to a defamation lawsuit Soh ultimately lost.
Soh also unsuccessfully sued a former director at governing body Singapore Athletics, for defamation.
He was not selected for the 2019 nor 2022 SEA Games, due to factors such as conduct and behaviour as cited by SNOC.
While also initially omitted from the 2023 edition of the regional competition, he won an appeal and finished with a silver medal in the 10,000m.
Later that year, he was excluded from the Asian Games, with SNOC pointing to his continued behaviour of making "disparaging and derisive remarks" publicly.
Earlier in 2025, a lawyer who previously represented Soh in two separate defamation suits sued him over a Facebook post.
Now, Soh has not made SNOC's provisional list for the December SEA Games in Thailand, despite having met the qualifying mark for the marathon.
SNOC did not expressly state why, but said it was committed to sending athletes who "not only meet the performance benchmarks but also uphold the values and behaviours expected of Singapore's national representatives".
Singapore Athletics still has the opportunity to resubmit a nomination and appeal the decision.
Soh admitted to CNA there were some points in his career which 'really sucked'. But he views these as having led him to a 'better place' in life.
'When I initially said something, I didn't realise that that could end up on an eight year-long journey,' he said. 'Nobody enjoys going to war with your national Olympic council. Nobody enjoys being dragged through a court of law."
Yet that was also what prompted him to study law in London, where he met his wife Nantacha Phon-uam.
'Who I would never have met if I never had all these issues,' said Soh.
He insisted he has never made the same mistake twice.
"If I said something in the past and then they had an issue with it, I apologised and didn't continue it,' he said.
Soh did say sorry publicly to SNOC after his exclusion from the 2022 SEA Games. He has also in the past taken down social media posts deemed by authorities to be offensive or disparaging.
'I learn from mistakes, but I don't regret mistakes,' he reiterated.
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Asked if that meant he has changed his ways in recent years, Soh said: 'If I really want to think about it, I'm sure subconsciously, I (have been) like 'I can say this but yeah, not worth the potential repercussion that might come with it'.'
'But will I still say things? Of course I still say things. There's still things that get me very riled up that I'm like 'you know, this is wrong'.'
Soh has not let up on posting and commenting on social media on an array of topics, often being candid with his thoughts.
But he said he now uses fewer emojis.
In justifying his omission from the 2023 Asian Games, SNOC sent Singapore Athletics a document spanning over 30 pages, detailing how it took issue with several of his posts, comments – and laughing reactions.
'I'm not actually adding anything by reacting, apart from like, to show that I find it funny,' he said, before adding: "So if I laugh to myself, is that okay? As long as you don't know I'm laughing, it's okay lah."
"I CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE"
One constant throughout Soh's career is his passion for running - and competitively.
'I don't plan on giving up anytime soon. I enjoy it. I wake up, go for a run, I meet great people around the world,' he said. 'Why would I give up something which has given me so much?'
Two years ago, on the heels of his Asian Games exclusion, he said in an interview that if it became clear he would not run for Singapore again, he might consider doing so for another country.
Asked about that comment, Soh said: 'Representing Singapore will always be my top option … I became an athlete in Singapore (and) I definitely feel proud to represent Singapore.'
Even if he never competes for Singapore again, his perspective is that there are 'so many things you can do with life'.
'There's so many ways you can contribute, so many other ways you can make a legacy for yourself."
Soh attained his law degree last year, and could get called to the Bar should he pass the examinations. But a legal career is on the backburner for now.
'Being a lawyer in Singapore is really not conducive with the lifestyle you need to be a good runner,' he said. '(And) it's not like I can work a 12-hour-a-day corporate law job or criminal law job, or whatever it is, and run a business on the side.'
Soh set up a coaching academy in 2023. He is also pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the London Business School.
As if juggling further studies, his own business as well as competitive sport weren't enough, he has his sights set on boosting the running scene in Singapore.
Soh said he has both the experience and the following to do so. He pointed to the annual Pocari Sweat 2.4km challenge which he kickstarted and continues to play a part in organising.
'I can see that with my involvement ... I can really make a difference right now in our local scene,' he said.
Soh thinks that, in the final analysis, he will be seen as a positive influence on Singapore's distance running ecosystem, despite official narratives previously suggesting otherwise.
In excluding him from the 2022 SEA Games, SNOC said then that Soh's conduct and behaviour ran contrary to the requirement of the Olympic Charter to 'serve as an example to the sporting youth'.
He told CNA that "no athlete will ever be 100 per cent a role model to everyone", giving examples of sportspeople involved in drugs or drink-driving cases who went on to still compete for Singapore or rehabilitate their image.
'There are people who want me to mentor their kids, people who want me to mentor them … people who want me to go to schools and talk to kids," Soh said.
'I'm not perfect, but I think overall, as far as sports goes … I'm a role model for how people can behave and aspire to success; while being in a position where you can also inspire those around you to achieve success.
"I cannot, hand on heart, say I'm not a good role model."