Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) has renewed its title sponsorship agreement with Singapore Marathon until 2023.

SCB has been Singapore Marathon’s title sponsor since 2002.

SCB Singapore CEO Patrick Lee said: “Our decision to continue supporting the race has never wavered, as we understand the role sport plays in building social bonds and community resilience.”

Additionally, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, event organizer The Ironman Group said that there will be no traditional road-racing for this year’s SCSM event.

Instead, the organizer is currently working on an alternative format with both virtual and physical components for the annual event.

The Ironman Group said: “The race will allow runners to take part in the race safely and virtually, and still look forward to the signature finisher experience – complete with the finisher photo for runners to celebrate their accomplishments.

“There will also be a virtual reality component allowing runners to create avatars who can navigate through the virtual SCSM route in real-time, competing with fellow runners.”

Moreover, the organizer has also unveiled two initiatives – the SCSM Virtual Club and the SCSM Virtual Racing Series – to help runners prep for SCSM.

Runners will get free access to a virtual platform for weekly races and challenges, performance tracking, training, and nutritional resources.

The races under SCSM Virtual Racing Series can be categorized according to four themes, and there will be a total of 15 races.

By participating in these virtual events, runners can earn points, which they can redeem online for merchandise, discounts, and special benefits.

The marathon is expected to be held in December 2020.