When 24-year-old Thiruben Thana Rajan crossed the finish line at the Asian Athletics Championship in South Korea on May 30, he did more than win a race – he rewrote a bit of Singapore’s sporting history.
Clocking 1 minute 49.94 seconds in the men’s 800m event, Thiruben shattered a national record that had stood stubbornly untouched since 1987.
The previous mark, set by Sinnathambi Pandian at 1:50.56, had loomed large for nearly four decades, becoming almost mythical within Singapore’s middle-distance running circles. Now, thanks to Thiruben’s grit and relentless dedication, the record has finally fallen – and in spectacular fashion.
“I’m usually someone who doesn’t get too nervous before competing,” Thiruben told tabla!. “But this time, I certainly had more nerves than usual – and excitement too. I knew I was capable of running a national record based on my training times.”
For Thiruben, the moment his new national record flashed on the scoreboard is one he will remember forever.
“When I saw that I’d run below 1:50, I immediately turned to my coaches and teammates in the stands – they were all celebrating. There were tears shed by my coaches and family who’ve been with me every step of the way,” he shared, reliving the emotional moment.
Interestingly, Thiruben’s journey to becoming Singapore’s middle-distance record holder did not begin on the track but on a football field.
“I used to play football for the Junior Sports Academy, alongside many players now in the national team. I was usually a right back or right winger,” he recalled with a smile.
But fate intervened when he was in National Junior College, where football wasn’t offered as a co-curricular activity. Forced to choose something else, he picked track and field – and there was no turning back.
In his first year, he represented the Singapore Schools team and won an international gold medal in the 1500m.
“My passion for running started then, and I knew I wanted to be a national athlete one day,” he said.
This historic run in South Korea was not by chance but the result of a carefully planned season and unrelenting hard work.
In the lead-up, Thiruben tested himself in races in Australia, Singapore and the Philippines. However, it was his time training with the elite middle-distance runners at Waseda University in Japan that gave him the sharpest edge.
“I was training with runners who were faster than me. It pushed my limits and helped me adapt to the weather and conditions, which are similar to South Korea’s,” he explained.
Running runs in Thiruben’s veins. His father, Thana Rajan, was a runner during his youth in Malaysia and now competes for Singapore in Masters athletics (age 35+). That family tradition has clearly inspired Thiruben, the eldest of four siblings, to chase big dreams on the track.
Despite his demanding training – 11 sessions a week over six days, often twice a day – Thiruben remains grounded.
A graduate of Deakin University in Melbourne with a Bachelor of Business in Sport Management, he now works as a marketing and sponsorship executive at Singapore Athletics, also managing its social media pages.
His biggest comfort? Home-cooked meals after gruelling sessions.
“My favourite food at home would be the healthy dinners my mum cooks – pasta with grilled chicken or brown rice with salmon,” he said.
A student of the sport, Thiruben draws inspiration from global stars like Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Marco Arop, whose training videos he watches religiously. He’s also an avid reader of sports autobiographies; his recent read was Running My Life by legendary middle-distance runner Sebastian Coe.
His personal motto is simple but powerful: “With determination, anything is possible.” In the world of athletics, he says, mental strength is just as crucial as physical endurance.
Said Khairyll Amri, Thiruben’s coach and a former teammate: “Thiruben always goes the extra mile for his goal. He reads up on training strategies, suggests new ideas, and is constantly learning.
“And even though track is an individual sport, he’s a true team player – always supporting his teammates, especially when they’re struggling with form or injuries. That says a lot about his character.”
With this milestone behind him, Thiruben is now focused on scaling new heights. His ambition is clear: to continue lowering his time and represent Singapore on even bigger stages, including the Asian Games and, one day, the Olympics.
