SINGAPORE - A 29-year-old man died on Sunday morning after collapsing during the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.

The runner was participating in the half marathon. He collapsed 1km away from the finish line at the Padang.

The runner is believed to be Mr John Gibson, a Briton living in Hong Kong. It is understood that his family has been informed.

Race organiser Ironman Asia's managing director Geoff Meyer said the runner was immediately attended to and sent to the hospital in an ambulance.

Said Meyer: "We are working with all the stakeholders with regards to that but our main priority and focus is on the family, and we are working with them to see how they can be fully supported, doing everything we can possibly do.

"We've done everything we possibly can for the family, and we'll continue to support the family."

This year's event drew about 46,000 participants and it was the first time that it was staged by new race organiser Ironman Asia.

For the first time, the half and full marathons flagged off simultaneously in Orchard Road at 4.30am. The runners werelater joined by participants of the 10km race, which started at 6.45am at Esplanade Drive. All races finished at the Padang.

Sport Singapore extended its condolences to the runner's family and friends, and said it will continue to work with organisers to provide assistance to his family.

This is the second death in the 15-year history of the Standard Chartered Marathon in Singapore.

In 2011, 22-year-old Malcolm Sng Wei Ren died after completing a half-marathon. A coroner's court later determined that he had died from acute coronary insufficiency and had an abnormal coronary artery which had been previously undetected.

In 2013, 25-year-old Goh Kai Lin collapsed while running the 10km Nike We Run. The taekwondo enthusiast died on the same day.