Scaling heights for a good cause: Over 100 take part in vertical marathon by ComChest and MBS

While most visitors to the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) SkyPark get to enjoy the spectacular view without breaking a sweat, 188 runners traded the comfort of a lift for 57 floors of steps in support of a good cause during a vertical marathon jointly organised by the Community Chest and MBS on Aug 29.

The marathon, together with the Community Chest Heartstrings Walk later in the evening, raised over $5.2 million which will benefit more than 94,000 social service users across 300 programmes and projects targeting groups such as adults with disabilities, children with special needs, youth-at-risk, families in need of assistance, people with mental health needs, and seniors in need of support.

The participants, comprising 47 teams from the private sector, public agencies, social service agencies as well as individual entrants, were flagged off by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development and Law Eric Chua on Aug 29 morning as they began the 57-storey ascent.

After crossing the finish line, participants enjoyed panoramic views of the city as they recovered from the morning’s effort.

Emerging victorious was the Climb Warriors team from the Singapore Police Force, with a total combined time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds. Part of the team was Subas Gurung, who completed the 57-storey climb in five minutes and 55 seconds, making him the best male participant. The top performing female was Serene Cheong from the Towerrunning Association of Singapore who crossed the finish line in eight minutes and 18 seconds.

For 68-year-old pastor Andrew Khoo, a daily exercise regimen including trampoline jumping and weight training, as well as a history of running marathons, meant he found the climb manageable.

Khoo, who is founder and senior adviser at New Hope Community Services, said that he finds the event meaningful and intends to make the climb again in 2027.

In a change of pace during the evening, around 3,700 people enjoyed a leisurely stroll around Marina Bay during the Community Chest Heartstrings Walk.

The 2026 walk also marks the 15th year of partnership between the Community Chest and MBS. In attendance was Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli.

At the walk, Community Chest chairman Danny Koh said that the fund-raising body disbursed more than $17 million to support mental health programmes in the fiscal year 2025, a 30 per cent increase from the previous year. 

Koh also said that over the past decade, the Community Chest has raised and disbursed over $500 million in support of social service programmes and capability building projects in Singapore.

Both the vertical marathon and the walk were also part of MBS’s annual Sands for Singapore Charity Festival, which has raised over $52 million for social causes in Singapore since its inception in 2013.

The month-long 2026 festival culminates in a three-day celebration from Aug 28 and 30, between 5pm and 11pm at the MBS Event Plaza, featuring gourmet pop-ups, live music by Singaporean musicians, community booths by non-profit organisations and social enterprises, and an interactive family-friendly game supporting NorthLight School. 

Jason Quah is executive photojournalist at The Straits Times.