Elite marathoners to be paid by race day

A POTENTIAL hitch at Sunday's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon was averted yesterday.

This came after the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) said it would pay the travel expenses and other monies owed to elite overseas athletes by race-day.

There had been uncertainty surrounding the continued participation of the likes of 2007 world champion and last
year's winner Luke Kibet of Kenya after news broke on Wednesday that the event's co organiser the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA) had yet to receive money from the SSC for the presence of the 44 stars.

The sum of about $320,000 was required to pay for travel bills appearance fees and performance bonuses.

But yesterday SSC spokesman Alvin Hang said: "The SSC will reimburse the SAA for authorised third party expenses, subject to appropriate documentation.

"The money that is due to the athletes will be disbursed on the day of the race or earlier if appropriate."

"If necessary, SSC will liaise directly with the athletes or their agents or managers."

From 2003 to last year, a cash advance was disbursed to the SAA, which holds the rights to the marathon, at the start of race week. The cash would then be distributed to the athletes by the SAA.

But the SSC said on Wednesday that it is exercising greater financial prudence this year, as the SAA is undergoing a financial audit Hence it withheld the funds until it receives the necessary documentation.

When informed of the news by The Straits Times, SAA president Loh Lin Kok said yesterday: "We would like to meet the SSC by noon tomorrow to understand better how it is going to make payment."

S'pore Marathon: 5 hydration tips

How much fluid should a runner drink before a marathon to avoid dehydration during and after the event? What else should he drink? Chan U-Gene gets advice from the medical experts:

• When and how much to drink before the run?
  Drink up four hours (if possible) before your run. You should drink about 5-7 ml per kilogram of body weight. For example, if you are 60kg, you should be drinking 300-420ml of fluids.
  
  The four-hour gap is to allow for the gradual loss of excess fluids before the race.
   
• Do not drink only when thirsty
  Chances are, dehydration has occurred the moment you are thirsty. So do memorise the water-point locations along the route so that you will not miss them.
  
  Or carry a drink bottle, so that you can drink small amounts of fluids frequently.
   
• Is water good enough?
  Actually, no. Our sweat contains electrolytes (minerals) such as sodium and potassium, which are integral to the body's functions.
  
  As such, do drink isotonic drinks to replenish lost carbohydrates (glucose and sucrose) and electrolytes so as to ensure complete hydration.
   
• Do not overhydrate
  It can result in a water-intoxicating condition known as hyponatraemia. Too much water can result in a dip in sodium levels in the blood.
  
  An athlete can become disoriented or even lose consciousness as a result.
  
• How much to drink after marathon
  To recover fully, drink 1.5 litres of fluid for every kilogram lost. Weigh yourself after the race to see how much weight you have lost and drink accordingly.
  
  Also, drink fluid-rich foods such ad soups, smoothies and yoghurt.

Sources:

• Yvonne Ban, sports dietician, Alexandra Hospital
• Dr Teh Kong Chuan, senior consultant, Alexandra Hospital's Sport Medicine Centre
• Dr Jason Chia, consultant sports physician, Changi Sports Medicine Centre
• Chenchill Kho, accredited dietician, F&N foods Pte Ltd