Singapore Sports Scene

Discussion in 'Chit-Chat' started by Loh, Jan 13, 2016.

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Things you may not know about Singapore Sports Hub
    By Coconuts Singapore Apr 6, 2021 | 3:20pm Singapore time
    PRESENTED BY [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Photo: Singapore Sports Hub
    Like everyone else, our plans to assimilate back into society post-Circuit Breaker has involved a comprehensive workout plan. Or at least, a hearty attempt at it. If you’ve been in Singapore for even a little while, you’d know that Kallang is where you can go for anything sports-related. After all, you can’t really miss the massive dome that is the Singapore Sports Hub, or the dragon boats peppered across the Kallang River nearby. Navigating the world of fitness doesn’t have to be hard, and we’ve found some interesting facts about the giant sports venue that may help to inform your workout plans.

    Train where national athletes do

    You might already know that national athletes come here to train, and you can too. We’re talking about the actual Olympic-sized swimming pool at the OCBC Aquatic Centre that Joseph Schooling himself trains in when he’s in Singapore (but you can’t actually see him when he’s training, sorry). The OCBC Arena is also where national athletes hone their skills in a whole bunch of sports. Members of the public can make a booking to play basketball, table tennis, badminton, netball, and volleyball at the indoor courts here. But that’s not all. The Water Sports Centre also allows everyday patrons to rent a kayak or dragon boat and train at the same place as the Singapore Dragon Boat Association!

    Get a workout in at any time of day

    With a name like Singapore Sports Hub, it’s exactly as it says on the tin as the crown jewel of the neighborhood where those serious about fitness go to train. It’s home to a whole host of world-class facilities—some of which are available 24/7. You know, in case you’ve ever felt the urge to go for a run at 3am in the morning, there’s the 100PLUS Promenade for that. The skate park is another facility that’s open round the clock.

    Your brain can get a workout too

    Brains or brawn? Both, says the Singapore Sports Hub. Besides the seemingly endless list of sports you can do here, the sports district is also home to the Sports Hub Library. It’s right next to the Stadium MRT exit too, which makes it convenient to hit the books and head off after. It also means your study breaks can include rock climbing sessions at the nearby Climb Central in Kallang Wave Mall. That’s not the only way to work your brain, as there’s also Giant Chess. Yep, you can live out your dreams of The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix—but in giant form. Does it make capturing the King even more satisfying? Only one way to find out.

    Bonus fact: the seats here move

    Not exercise-related, but only slightly because it’s a pretty jaw-dropping fact. You probably already know that the venue hosts a myriad of events, from live entertainment like that sold-out U2 concert in 2019 pre-rona (sobs), to rugby games and even the National Day Parade in 2016. The massive venue has a seating capacity of 55,000, but the seating configuration can be changed thanks to moveable tiered seating.

    Thinking of making a trip down to the Singapore Sports Hub? Check out this video of the different facilities here: (video)
     
  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Table tennis player Izaac Quek Yong becomes first Singaporean to top Under-15 world ranking

    By ASYRAF KAMIL
    Published APRIL 14, 2021

    upload_2021-4-15_9-50-49.png


    Izaac Quek Yong (pictured) started training at the Singapore Table Tennis Association's Bishan Zone Training Centre when he was seven years old.

    SINGAPORE — Izaac Quek Yong has become the first Singaporean to top the table tennis world ranking list for players under the age of 15.

    In a news release on Wednesday (April 14), the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) said that the 14-year-old is now ranked world number one after the International Table Tennis Federation updated its list.

    “(He) is the first Singaporean to accomplish this new milestone,” the association said.

    Last year, Izaac won the Cadet Boys' singles title without conceding a single game at the ITTF Swedish Junior and Cadet Open.

    And at the National Table Tennis Grand Finale tournament last month on home ground, Izaac finished third in the men’s singles and first in the men’s doubles event together with his teammate Ethan Poh.

    Izaac said in a statement: “I am very happy that I am able to achieve this target. It's a milestone and I'm really grateful for the support given to me by Singapore Table Tennis Association, SportsSG, Singapore Sports Institute and the Singapore Sports School.

    “I will continue to work hard and achieve more sporting glory for Singapore.”

    STTA’s president Ellen Lee said that Izaac had worked hard and “truly deserves this new accomplishment”.

    Ms Lee said that Izaac started training at the STTA’s Bishan Zone Training Centre when he was seven years old.

    He was then picked to join the junior development squad and youth training squad.

    Izaac then continued his sporting journey at the Singapore Sports School and was eventually selected for the STTA’s intermediate squad last year.

    “Izaac’s achievements serve as a testament that STTA is on the right path of grooming high potential talents into world-class athletes,” Ms Lee said.

    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...-first-singaporean-top-under-15-world-ranking
     
  3. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Sport
    Singaporean fencer Amita Berthier earns Olympic spot after winning qualification tournament

    View attachment upload_2021-4-26_13-25-10.gif upload_2021-4-26_13-26-26.png

    View attachment upload_2021-4-26_13-22-50.gif
    Singapore's Amita Berthier celebrates scoring a point in the SEA Games women's fencing semi-finals on Nov 3, 2019. (Photo: Matthew Mohan) View attachment upload_2021-4-26_13-22-50.gif
    By Matthew Mohan@MatthewMohanCNA
    25 Apr 2021 08:12PM(Updated: 26 Apr 2021 06:45AM)

    SINGAPORE: Amita Berthier has booked her place at this year's Olympic Games, after winning the women's foil event at the Asia-Oceanian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Sunday (Apr 25).

    Berthier edged out Uzbekistan's Yala Alborova 15-14 to seal her place at the Games, which are slated to begin in less than three months.

    The 20-year-old will be Singapore's first female fencer to compete at the Olympics and is also the first to qualify outright for the event.


    The president of Fencing Singapore lauded Berthier's achievement, calling it "historic" for both the fencer and Singapore.

    "Amita has had to balance studies, training and the uncertainties of the global pandemic in a foreign country, and is truly an inspiration to us all," said Juliana Seow.

    Fencers James Wong and Ronald Tan competed at the 1992 Olympics in the foil and epee events, but did not have to qualify as they were selected by virtue of being the country's top fencers in their events.

    READ: IN FOCUS: Dedication amid the delay - Team SG prepares for an Olympics which remain in doubt[/paste:font]

    In Uzbekistan, Berthier had won five out of six matches in her pool, before moving on to the knockout stage. She then beat India's Radhika Prakash Awati 15-3, before emerging victorious against Lebanon's Mona Shaito (15-4).

    Berthier is also the reigning champion in the women's individual foil at the SEA Games, having won the event in 2017 and 2019. She also has a gold in the team foil event.

    The Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will begin on Jul 23.

    Source: CNA/mt
     
  4. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Khairin targets SEA Games spot
    https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/khairin-targets-sea-games-spot


    Young Lions forward, 17, wins SPL award and coach says he has talent but needs hard work
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    Khairin Nadim is the SPL's youngest debutant and second-youngest scorer. Each time he plays, he is focused on doing well to repay his biggest supporter - his mother, who cares for him and two siblings mostly alone.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
    Deepanraj Ganesan
    • Published
      6 hours ago

    At an age when boys like him await the year-end school holidays, Young Lions forward Khairin Nadim, who turned 17 earlier this week, is awaiting November for an entirely different reason.

    He is determined to make it to Vietnam - not for leisure but business as he seeks a spot at the 2021 SEA Games.

    His resolve to make the national Under-22 side at the Games has been strengthened further by his first individual gong - the Singapore Premier League (SPL)'s Young Player of the Month award for March.

    He told The Straits Times: "This year, my biggest target is to make it to the squad for the Games and by progressing well at the start of the year, I think (there is) a great chance for me.

    "Winning the award is not something I targeted but it shows everyone what I can do. I was really happy because people have recognised my efforts. And it will make me work even harder to win more in the future."

    While Khairin, who has scored twice this season, was elated at winning his first individual award, he was surprised to find that social media reacted differently to his win.

    Some news sites and social media users took aim at how he seemed to be " po-faced" in a photo where he was presented with a cheque of his cash prize - $250. Others lamented that the reward was too little.

    But Khairin broke into a wide grin when asked about what he thought. He explained that he was presented with the award just before a match and that his thoughts were on the task at hand. "Before a game, I need to focus and not smiling does not mean I am not happy. I am really grateful," he said.

    His determination to perform to the best of his abilities each time he takes to the pitch comes from wanting to repay his biggest supporter - his mother.

    He said: "My mother was the one who noticed my talent and bought me my first pair of football boots. I am really grateful for my mum because she has been there for me since day one of my journey to be a footballer. She keeps me motivated and before every match, I think of my mother and think of wanting to do well for her."

    And he has already made her proud, having broken records in Singapore football.

    He is the SPL's youngest debutant, after he came on as a substitute aged 15 years and 298 days against Hougang United in March last year.

    NOT MAIN AIM BUT HAPPY
    Winning the award is not something I targeted but it shows everyone what I can do. I was really happy because people have recognised my efforts.

    KHAIRIN NADIM, on winning the SPL Young Player award for March.

    His goal in his team's 3-1 defeat by Tampines Rovers last November also meant that at 16 years and 194 days old, he became the second-youngest local to score in the SPL - a record eclipsed only by current national captain Hariss Harun. His mother, Suhaidah Ismail, 43, gets emotional when talking about her son. After all, she has cared for Khairin and his two siblings almost single-handedly since 2012 after divorcing her husband.

    Suhaidah, a human resource consultant, said: "I know he doesn't want to disappoint me. He is a really independent boy. Some parents fetch and ferry their kids to training and matches and I'm not able to do that but he gets on with it and travels on his own."

    Struggling to hold back her tears, she added: "Even when I want to buy boots for him, he would ask me whether I have enough money (for myself).

    "He is not very expressive but you can tell he is different on the field. He expresses himself there. He has proven to me that he can be a success in an area that interests him."

    Young Lions head coach Philippe Aw has witnessed first hand what his young forward can do and he hopes Khairin will stay the course.

    Said Aw: "Technically, he is very sound. He can change a game with a moment of brilliance... He has the attacking instincts.

    "Many boys his age are still playing at the Under-17 or U-18 level and some even playing at school level. Here we have a young boy who is playing in a professional league and he has done well so far."

    But he also warned that the teenager has some way to go before he can realise his dream of becoming a national team player.

    "He has the talent (to become a national team player ) but he must have the discipline off the field and the commitment," he said. "It's not going to be easy to reach the national team and stay there. It will require a lot of hard work from him.

    "A modern footballer needs to defend as well as attack. In transition, when we don't have the ball, he needs to work hard and come back.

    "I have also told him that he needs to work on his left foot. He is very dependent on his right. A good player has both feet. He is still young and has time to work on these things.
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Diving: Freida Lim in contention for Olympic berth
    https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/...ale-singaporean-diver-to-qualify-for-olympics

    [​IMG]
    Freida Lim during training at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on April 17, 2021.PHOTO: ST FILE
    [​IMG]
    David Lee
    • Published
      May 4, 2021, 11:28 am SGT

    SINGAPORE - After having to navigate trials and tribulations, Singaporean diver Freida Lim is tantalisingly close to getting her hands on that coveted ticket to the Tokyo Olympics. She will become Singapore's first female diver at the quadrennial sports extravaganza if her spot is confirmed in June.

    With a five-dive score of 289.60, she placed 11th out of 35 athletes in the women's 10m platform preliminary at the Fina Diving World Cup in Tokyo on Tuesday (May 4) to qualify for Wednesday's 18-strong semi-finals.

    At this competition, up to 18 Olympic spots per event are up for grabs for each country which has not already secured two places, which means the 23-year-old is a good semi-final performance away from qualifying and is awaiting Fina confirmation on the remaining quota.

    National diving head coach Li Peng said yesterday that he was “very satisfied” with her performance. He added: “Freida did well overall in the prelim. There were small mistakes in her first and final dives, but she was near flawless for the dives in between, which helped her score.”

    As a child, Lim was a competitive swimmer until she was diagnosed with Grave’s disease – an autoimmune disorder that leads to an overactive thyroid gland, also known as hyperthyroidism – when she was 13.

    While her thyroid function normalised after two years through medication, she had to switch to a less endurance-based sport and chose diving because of her affinity for the pool.

    Lim's diving potential was affirmed when she claimed a silver with Myra Lee in the women's synchronised 10m platform and a bronze in the women's 10m platform at the 2015 SEA Games on home soil.

    She followed that up with four silver medals in those two events, as well as the mixed synchronised 10m platform and mixed team events with Jonathan Chan at the 2017 SEA Games.

    In 2016, she was awarded a full athletic scholarship at Clemson University in the United States and became the first Singaporean diver to compete in the top division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) system.

    However, after her freshman year, she was left scrambling for a new school after Clemson abruptly dropped its diving programme.

    Fortunately, she was picked up by University of Georgia, where she enjoyed an impressive NCAA career. In 2018/19, Lim finished 15th in the NCAA Championships platform final and earned an Honorable Mention All-America citation.

    If she makes it to the Olympics, Lim will be joined in Tokyo by fellow trailblazer Chan, who was the first Singaporean diver to qualify for the Games, when he did so in 2019 to also become the first Singaporean athlete to earn a spot at the 2020 Games.

    Wendy Lim, Singapore Swimming Association vice-president (diving) said: “Freida’s performance today shows that the good work done by the diving high performance team over the last few years has paid off."

    She also credited Lim for achieving the best result by a Singaporean female diver at a world meet despite not competing in a major competition since the 2019 SEA Games.

    “We are pleased that Freida has managed to get into the semi finals of her event. We hope that she can carry on her good performance in the semis tomorrow,” added the diving official.

    More on this topic
    Diving: Coach Li hopeful as Team Singapore head for Tokyo World Cup in search of Olympic berths
    Team Singapore give peek into strict Covid protocols at Fina Diving World Cup

    How spots at the Olympics are determined
    For diving, there are a total of 136 slots for divers – 68 male and 68 female.

    Synchronised will have eight teams per event and there is a total of 32 divers per gender.

    Individuals will qualify via a top-12 placing at the World Championships and top-five finish at continental championships.

    The remaining spots will depend on the number of quota spots left, dependent on the actual names submitted by each federation. This will only be confirmed by Fina in June.
     
  6. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Rowing: From the water to the front line and back, Joan Poh on the verge of Tokyo Olympics berth
    Rowing: From the water to the front line and back, Joan Poh on the verge of Tokyo Olympics berth, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

    [​IMG]
    Joan Poh's quest for a ticket to sport's grandest stage has seen her travel from the Pandan Reservoir to Schinias in Greece.PHOTO: KOH YUHAN
    [​IMG]
    Sazali Abdul Aziz
    Correspondent
    • PUBLISHED
      MAY 10, 2021, 7:47 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - Some time during the past year, rower Joan Poh realised that an overcast sky was the perfect analogy for how she felt about the uncertainty over the Olympics.

    Her quest for a ticket to sport's grandest stage has seen her travel from the Pandan Reservoir to Schinias in Greece, and from heaving oars to pulling shifts as a healthcare frontline worker during the coronavirus pandemic.

    In Tokyo last Friday (May 7), Poh took to the water at the Asia and Oceania qualification regatta, which represented the final opportunity for her to qualify, and placed 12th in the women's single sculls. But she still does not know for sure if she has done well enough to return to Japan in two months' time for the Olympics.

    Over the weekend and with time to burn in quarantine upon returning to Singapore, the 30-year-old has been performing mental gymnastics trying to work out the qualifying criteria to determine if she did. She thinks she has, but will only know for sure when the World Rowing Federation makes an official announcement on the matter by May 28.

    The wait might be excruciating for some, but in a phone interview with The Straits Times on Monday (May 10), Poh said she is dealing with it just fine. She explained her weather analogy, which she came up with to explain to people she came across, like cabbies and private-hire drivers, who often ask her what she does for a living and then "in the same breath" ask about the prospect of a cancelled Tokyo Olympics.

    "I tell them it's like doing laundry," said Poh. "You've washed all your clothes and taken them out of the washing machine. But suddenly, you look out and you're not sure if it's going to rain. How now? Do you keep your wet clothes inside?

    "No. The logical thing is to hang them out to dry, and wait until the very last minute until the rain starts coming down, then you bring it in."

    In the same vein, she intends to keep plugging away at her dream until "the plug is finally pulled" on it. Given everything she has put into it after it crystallised in her mind in 2018, she was never going to give it up easily anyway.

    A challenging path
    Poh's calloused hands will testify to the effort she has put in on her journey but she has also sacrificed time, money and career advancement.

    From the start of 2019, she took 16 months' of no-pay leave from her job as a staff nurse in Tan Tock Seng Hospital's renal department to train overseas, from Hong Kong to Greece, China, Canada and Australia.

    The coronavirus pandemic saw her return to work in April 2020, where she assisted dialysis patients, particularly those on peritoneal dialysis, a treatment for kidney failure. She admitted that trying to maintain her training - at least 20 hours a week - while juggling eight- or 10-hour shifts at work was tough.

    "It's just the nature of the job that I won't get a fixed schedule which athletes live with," she said, recounting how she often missed meals on her first few days back at work.

    "But I think this has helped me overall too, because I think I'm better now with dealing with unforeseen circumstances."

    As sport began to resume with most of the world adjusting to a new normal, and with Olympic qualification back on the table, Poh in March again went on no-pay leave and returned to full-time training.

    "I trained three times a day up from two before, so I increased my training hours a bit more," she said. "But the main difference was I was able to plan my recovery, nutrition and other errands around training again."

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Olympics: Joan Poh still rowing miles in search of her distant Games dream[/paste:font]
    Sporting Life: Dear athlete, don't get disheartened, just keep training[/paste:font]
    Many helping hands
    Poh notes that a big reason she finds herself on the brink of qualifying for the Olympics is the help she has received from supporters like the Pho3nix Foundation which has sponsored her to the tune of €8,000 (S$12,900) - in the form of reimbursement.

    It is a non-profit organisation created by Polish businessman Sebastian Kulczyk. Its aim is to promote physical activity as a way to improve health and wellbeing among children with a particular focus on those in disadvantaged situations. The foundation had been looking for an athlete in Asia to sponsor and Poh applied for it after she was referred to it by an official in national sports agency Sport Singapore.

    Poh estimates the net spend of her Olympic journey, which started in 2018, to be about $20,000 a year. Koh Yuhan, team manager of the Singapore contingent that competed at the Asia and Oceania qualifiers last week, told ST her own estimate is closer to $30,000.

    Poh raised about $5,000 through crowdfunding, and also received support from SpexGlow funding - a government grant for loss of wages which offers financial assistance to national athletes, up to a maximum of $3,000 per month for up to 12 months - but relied on her own savings for the most part.

    She also highlighted the effort of her coach, Laryssa Biesenthal, a Canadian former athlete and Olympic bronze medallist who has worked with her since August last year. They had met at the World Championships in Austria a year earlier.
     
  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Diving: Singapore's Freida Lim has all but secured a place at the Olympics[/paste:font
    Olympics: As uncertainty swirls, athletes face decision on whether to keep going[/paste:font]

    Koh said: "Coach Laryssa is one of the reasons Jo kept going. Many times in the past, coaches have told Jo she's too short (at 1.66m) or small to succeed in rowing, but Laryssa was the first to say, 'That's OK, we'll just find another way' for her to be successful. She has been very empowering."

    Koh herself has played a big role in Poh's Olympic endeavour. At the qualification event in Tokyo, she doubled up as the bridge between athlete and coach, cycling along the side of the Sea Forest Waterway as Poh trained and raced while filming the athlete, and sending the footage to Biesenthal.

    She would also arrange calls with the coach right after Poh got off the water, and if it was too late owing to the 14-hour time difference between Japan and Canada, would relay notes, pointers and game plans Biesenthal had come up with for her athlete.

    Said Poh: "Yuhan's role as team manager is behind the scenes, just like so many of our support staff, who are all unsung heroes. She was pivotal. Without her, my head would have been all over the place, so I'm very thankful she was there with me.

    "This journey has been arduous but every time I fall short or it seems I don't have enough, people come on board to support me."

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Covid-19 cases surge in Japan as IOC says Olympics will go ahead no matter what[/paste:font]
    Olympics: Bach's Japan visit postponed as virus cases soar, Suga stresses he has 'never put Games first'[/paste:font]

    Paying it forward
    Because of all the help she has received, Poh is determined to pay it forward.

    Now set to become the second Singaporean rower to reach the Olympics after Saiyidah Aisyah made history in 2016, she is doing all she can to groom a new generation of female rowers.

    Even as she juggled work and training in 2020, she began putting together a team of 10 young women - former teammates, their interested family members or friends - and taught them how to row.

    "They're still learning but are now able to train independently," Poh said proudly. "I had always wanted to increase the size of the rowing team in Singapore, because I understand the sport cannot rest on just one person, so I do what I can. After all the effort I put in, I don't want it to end with me.

    "Plus, instead of zipping up and down along the course (at Pandan Reservoir) alone, having other people there and knowing one of them could be my successor, is a great feeling."

    Even with one eye on Tokyo, Poh is already looking beyond the July 23-Aug 8 Games.

    She hopes her imminent qualification for the Olympics will be a boost for the sport, and has sent an aim for her team of young women to become part of Singapore's largest contingent of female rowers to compete at the regional SEA Games. She also wants to lead the first women's team of Eight to the Asian Games, in 2022.

    "Thankfully, rowing is a late-age sport, so… I'm not thinking of winding down," said Poh. "I hope with two rowers at consecutive Olympics, the government can start looking at rowing and seeing whether the sport can really take off from here. I think we can… And I'm glad to play my part."

    For Poh, the skies above in her long struggle for rowing finally appear to be clearing up.
     
  8. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Here are the Team Singapore athletes that have qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics so far
    By Coconuts Singapore May 10, 2021 | 1:35pm Singapore time
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Photo: Singapore Sports Hub
    Despite unprecedented global circumstances, the previously postponed 2020 Summer Olympics have finally been given the green light. Throughout, Team Singapore’s would-be Olympians have kept a brave face and never wavered — their tenacity will be rewarded when they compete on sports’ grandest stage, starting Jul. 23 2021.

    Ministers Edwin Tong and Eric Chua also recently visited some of our badminton players, fencers and divers during their training sessions at the Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Arena and OCBC Aquatic Centre. The Olympic qualifiers are still ongoing and are set to end on Jun. 29. We shine the spotlight on a few Team Singapore athletes who have secured a spot in the Olympics so far.

    Sailing

    Representing the country in the women’s 49erFX event Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low. The duo earned a spot in the 2019 Hyundai 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships in Auckland. Ryan Lo and Amanda Ng are also headed to the Games after winning their laser sailing and windsurfing events respectively at the Mussanah Open Championship in Oman.

    Fencing

    20-year-olds Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman and Amita Berthier are some of the youngest to qualify for the Olympics, after winning the epee and foil events respectively at Asia-Oceania Olympic qualification tournament in Uzbekistan.

    Gymnastics

    Having conquered Singapore’s national championships at the age of 19, Tan Sze En is well on her way to becoming a household name in gymnastics. Three years after a shoulder surgery, the now-20-year-old gymnast is on her way to the Games after qualifying for a spot at the 2019 World Gymnastics Championships in Germany.

    Shooting

    21-year-old Tessa Neo has earned Singapore a shot at the Olympics after clinching silver at the Asian Shooting Championships in Doha back in 2019, though the jury is still out on who will eventually represent Singapore in the sport.

    Swimming

    Here’s a swimmer that needs no introduction. Who can forget when Joseph Schooling dethroned Michael Phelps in the men’s 100m butterfly at the 2016 Rio Games? Fellow teammate Quah Zhang Wen will also join Schooling in Tokyo after earning a spot in the 100m butterfly and backstroke events.

    Diving

    Jonathan Chan is the first Singaporean diver to qualify for the Olympics after securing a spot at the 8th Asian Diving Cup in Malaysia, while Frieda Lim has become the first female Singaporean diver and the second diver in Singapore’s history to qualify for the Games. Her participation however, will still need to be confirmed by FINA.

    Table tennis

    At the age of 25, Clarence Chew is already making waves in the sporting world. He recently made history as the first Singapore-born table tennis player to qualify for the men’s singles event. He defeated teammate Koen Pang, Southeast Asia Games Champion, in the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Qatar back in March, and is now on his way to represent Singapore at the Summer Games. The Singapore women’s table tennis team of Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu and Lin Ye are also set to compete this year.

    Feeling inspired yet? Even if you’re not training for the Olympics, the Singapore Sports Hub is an eclectic venue where you can enjoy a wide array of fun and challenging experiences. Check out what Singapore Sports Hub has to offer here.
     
  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Football: Already a winner but Albirex's Yu En, 17, wants to earn his medal
    Football: Already a winner but Albirex's Yu En, 17, wants to earn his medal, Football News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

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    Albirex Niigata midfielder Ong Yu En has a shiny winner's medal at just 17.ST PHOTO: YONG LI XUAN

    Deepanraj Ganesan
    • PUBLISHED
      MAY 14, 2021, 6:47 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - While there are several players here, in the twilight of their careers still chasing their first Singapore Premier League (SPL) title, Albirex Niigata (S) midfielder Ong Yu En has a shiny winner's medal at just 17.

    But do not let those without honours in their resume listen to where Yu En has stored his medal - it is tucked away in the corner of a drawer in his room at Simei.

    Speaking to The Straits Times ahead of Saturday's (May 15) SPL tie against the Young Lions at the Jurong East Stadium, Yu En insists that he is still thankful for his success. And his explanation gives an insight to his drive for excellence.

    Said the business management student in a diploma programme jointly conducted by Singapore Sports School and Republic Polytechnic: "Last year, even though I won the league, I was very frustrated with myself. I didn't get to feature much and I didn't feel like I contributed to it (league win).

    "So while I was very grateful to be a league winner, I knew I could do way more than I was able to show last season.

    "Even then, I am not someone who really looks at and adores my medals. I'm always eager to move on and go for the next one. The very next day after we won the league last year, I was thinking of what I can do to make sure I can win it again this year while playing a bigger role."

    In his debut SPL season last term, he was limited to just 96 minutes of action across Albirex's 14 games.

    With just nine games gone in the current campaign, the midfielder has already surpassed that figure, having started six matches, with over 400 minutes of playing time.

    SPL rules require the White Swans to have two Singaporeans in their starting line-up and the earliest they can be taken off, is at half-time. But Albirex first-team coach Jaswinder Singh says the statistics show that Yu En is earning his minutes on merit. In his six starts, Yu En was hauled off at half-time just once.

    Yu En has an assist to his name this season and has impressed with his energetic displays for the Japanese side in midfield. His performances have also drawn comparisons to the last local to make a big impact while with Albirex - current Lion City Sailors midfielder Adam Swandi, who won the league's Young Player of the Year award while with the White Swans in 2018.

    "He is playing at a level where he is matching the Japanese players," said Singh.

    "You can see that his teammates trust him with the ball. When he came to us, he was still a small boy...

    "He has a very high football IQ and makes the right decisions with his passes and movements. What we want from him now is to ensure he keeps up his form and to be more decisive in the crucial areas of the pitch."

    The 1.65m Yu En, who models his game after the similarly diminutive, former Manchester City midfielder David Silva, shared that he worked hard in the gym in the off-season to become physically stronger.

    His efforts have paid off as he has been able to brush aside challenges from defenders this season.

    He has his eyes set on another challenge now - to make the SEA Games squad this year.

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Football: Teenage sub Kondo gives Albirex 2-1 win over Tampines[/paste:font]
    Football: Title favourites Lion City Sailors stumped by Albirex again in 2-2 draw[/paste:font]
    "Each time I represent the country in age-group tournaments when I was younger, it is always a special moment. Of course, it is something I really want but I need to ensure that I keep working hard and showing that I deserve to be selected," he said.

    Young Lions head coach Philippe Aw says his side are raring to go as they look to learn from the previous meeting between both sides when Albirex beat the Young Lions 3-0 in March.

    Albirex sit atop the eight-team standings, one point ahead of their nearest rivals, Lion City Sailors, while the Young Lions are bottom, still chasing their first win of the season.

    When asked what his boys had learned from the previous loss, he said: "The Albirex players' attitude towards and willingness to attack and defend as a team is something we can learn from. We need to have good ball retention and when we don't have it, we have to defend well as a team.

    "Our boys are determined to take the game to them, so much so that despite given a day off for Hari Raya, they requested to train."
     
  10. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Trio get into sea games swing
    Trio get into sea games swing, Golf News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

    SGA's virtual coaching moves bear fruit as Menne, Chiam and Leow make waves in US
    [​IMG]
    From left: Singaporeans Ashley Menne, James Leow and Nicklaus Chiam achieved creditable results in recent tournaments in the United States. PHOTOS: SINGAPORE GOLF ASSOCIATION
    [​IMG]
    David Lee

    • PUBLISHED
      9 HOURS AGO

    Hours before her third round in the NCAA Women's Championship at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, Singaporean golfer Ashley Menne was up all night in the bathroom as she was down with stomach flu.

    "It was so bad I didn't think I would be able to play," said the 19-year-old Arizona State University (ASU) freshman of her May 23 outing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association competition.

    But the plucky teenager decided to persevere and "try to survive the day".

    She did way better than that to card a blistering seven-under 65, which matched the programme record set by retired Major winner Grace Park in 1998.

    Menne ultimately finished fourth in the individual event with a three-under 285 total, five strokes behind winner Rachel Heck of Stanford University.

    Menne, who was born to an American father and Singaporean mother and moved to the United States when she was 10, told The Straits Times: "I think I was so focused on how bad I was feeling that I was just swinging freely. I played the last three days of the tournament with nausea, chills and a bad stomach.

    "It was definitely not the experience I was expecting but I'm glad everything turned out for the best, and overall my first NCAA experience was amazing even though my team didn't advance to the matchplay semi-finals."

    Menne's performance was followed by the exploits of compatriots Nicklaus Chiam and James Leow, who finished joint-second and joint-fifth respectively at the Palo Verde Amateur event at the Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Arizona, last Saturday.

    Chiam finished four shots behind winner Nate Vontz, who was 19-under 197 after three rounds, while Leow carded 11 under.

    Chiam, a 25-year-old Washington State University graduate who won a men's team silver at the 2019 SEA Games, said: "I recently had help from national coach Matt Ballard to improve my ball striking and help me commit better to shots, which resulted in lower scores.

    "My short game also improved a lot in 2020 because I was able to incorporate different types of shots around the green. I think my mentality of keeping things simple, focusing on one shot at a time, really helped as well."

    Singapore Golf Association (SGA) high performance manager Joshua Ho felt that the ongoing communication between Ballard and the US-based players through technological tools like coaching apps is paying off.

    He said: "We monitor their training and provide valuable technical assistance virtually. We also work closely with them to select and fund (their participation in) tournaments in order to optimise performance and provide the required opportunities for their development.

    "It is an encouraging start to the summer season for this group of potential SEA Games representatives."

    It was also an encouraging return for 2019 SEA Games men's singles champion Leow, five months after undergoing hip surgery.

    The 24-year-old ASU undergraduate said: "I was lowering my expectations and trying to enjoy my golf round without putting pressure on myself, knowing that I have put in the work for both practice and recovery.

    "I know what my golf game is capable of. These past couple of months and upcoming summer schedule will help to get me back into things mentally, physically and technically."

    The trio are hoping to keep up their form when the Hanoi SEA Games swing around from Nov 21-Dec 2.

    Menne said: "This NCAA experience has prepared me for the SEA Games as the format is almost exactly the same with team strokeplay and then matchplay.

    "Furthermore, playing against the best amateurs in the world here at the NCAA has shown me what I am capable of and how I stack up against the best."

    Vernon Khoo, chairman of the SGA's training and development committee, was delighted with the "brilliant performances" ahead of the SEA Games.

    He said: "It validates the relentless efforts SGA has provided in developing the talent of our young golfers over the years.

    "We have a pool of young and talented golfers under our care and they have a bright future ahead of them."
     
  11. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Equestrian: Caroline Chew qualifies for Tokyo Games, will be first S'porean rider at Olympics
    Equestrian: Caroline Chew qualifies for Tokyo Games, will be first S'porean rider at Olympics, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    [​IMG]
    Caroline Chew placed 11th in the event with a score of 69.674.PHOTO: EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION OF SINGAPORE/FACEBOOK
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek
    • PUBLISHED
      JUN 19, 2021, 2:39 PM SGT
    SINGAPORE - It would never have occurred to national equestrienne Caroline Chew a fortnight ago that she would be heading to the Tokyo Olympics next month.

    But a last-minute withdrawal by New Zealand suddenly presented her with a chance to realise her Olympic dream and the 29-year-old seized it.

    It did not matter that she had to travel from where she was based in Gloucestershire, England, to compete at the Dressage Grand Prix in Le Mans, France, where the New Zealand rider’s replacement would be decided, on such short notice.

    When the time came to perform, Chew and her horse Tribiani registered a personal best of 69.674, surpassing the minimum requirement of 66 needed to qualify for the July 23-Aug 8 Games.

    In doing so, she will become the first Singaporean to compete in equestrian at the Olympics.

    “It’s still really surreal, this opportunity came up really unexpectedly," she said after placing 11th on Friday.

    “The Olympics were so far removed at that point in time (two weeks ago), so it’s been a very whirlwind kind of last few weeks.”

    Chew had been second in line to fill the vacated spot, but Malaysia’s Qabil Ambak, who was the first reserve, finished with a score of 64.000.

    Apart from having to prepare for the competition in two weeks, Chew’s coach Matthew Frost was unable to travel with her from the United Kingdom as he was not fully vaccinated.

    So her horse’s groom Rachel Stephens stood at the side of the arena and called Frost over Zoom, and he coached her over a WhatsApp call.

    Chew said: “It was so bizarre, but thankfully it worked out really well.

    “Because of the pandemic, he’s (Frost) done it a lot with his students so he knew the best positions to put the camera so that he could see as much as possible.”

    Her first encounter with the Olympic movement was in 2010, when she walked out on to the Marina Bay floating platform to take a 53-word oath for the athletes at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

    But her Olympic dream crystallised about six years ago when she began competing on the European circuit.

    She then went on to become the first Singaporean rider to compete at the Grand Prix level – the highest level of competition.

    [​IMG]
    Caroline Chew's Olympic dream crystallised about six years ago when she began competing on the European circuit. PHOTO: LES GARENNES

    She also won silver in the dressage individual and team events at the 2015 SEA Games, as well as a bronze individual and team medal in the 2017 edition.

    For the last four years, she has been juggling horse riding while working as a lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in the United Kingdom.

    While it sometimes gets tough, Chew is thankful to have a supportive work and equestrian team.

    She added: “There are actually a lot of learning points that carry across. I’ve got a lot of discipline from riding and it puts me in situations that are unexpected sometimes or takes me out of my comfort zone and that’s really useful at work because it means that you get steadier under pressure.”

    From multiple Paralympic medallist Laurentia Tan’s feats, to setting up the National Equestrian Centre in 2011 and now having its first Olympian, Chew’s mother Melanie, the Equestrian Federation of Singapore’s president from 2007 to 2017, believes the local equestrian scene has achieved significant progress.

    She said: “There’s a feeling of having achieved something – we’ve also taken a big step for equestrian, we went from zero to the Olympic Games in under 20 years. Not to forget, we’ve built up a very strong para-equestrian team. Equestrian has come a long way.”

    The Singapore contingent for the Tokyo Olympics is currently made up of 19 athletes, including Chew.

    Besides Chew, Jonathan Chan will be the first local diver to compete at the quadrennial Games.

    The Republic's fencers Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman and Amita Berthier are also the country's first to qualify on merit.
     
  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Paddlers Yu Mengyu, Clarence Chew at different career stages ahead of Tokyo Olympics
    Paddlers Yu Mengyu, Clarence Chew at different career stages (yahoo.com)
    [​IMG]
    Chia Han Keong

    ·Editor
    Thu, 24 June, 2021, 9:39 am·4-min read


    [​IMG]
    Singapore's Olympic-bound table tennis players (from left) Lin Ye, Yu Mengyu and Clarence Chew. A fourth paddler, Feng Tianwei, is based in Japan. (PHOTO: Singapore Table Tennis Association)

    SINGAPORE — As one Singapore national paddler prepares for likely her Olympic swansong, another is gearing up for his long-awaited Games debut.

    Both Yu Mengyu and Clarence Chew have promised to push themselves to the limit at next month's Tokyo Olympics, as the Games-bound table tennis players prepare to head to Japan's Shimada city for acclimatisation training from Sunday (27 June) until 17 July.

    The duo will be joined by two other Games-bound women's paddlers Feng Tianwei and Lin Ye, as well as their national head coaches Hao Anlin and Gao Ning. The Singapore Table Tennis Association has sources 14 Japanese sparring partners of varying styles of play to train with the paddlers in Shimada.

    Yu, 31, has been troubled by a chronic back injury which has forced her to withdraw from tournament whenever it flares up. Even so, she has registered promising results this year, as she made her competitive return after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In March, the world No. 47 reached the semi-finals of the WTT Contender Doha tournament, beating world No. 11 Miu Hirano along the way. Yet, she had to withdraw from her next tournament a week later, as her injury flared up.

    Understandably, she is considering to end her gruelling playing career after the Tokyo Games.

    "This is something I will need to think of after Tokyo. If the national team still needs me, I will give it my all, but I'm also considering contributing in other roles," she said during an online media conference on Wednesday (23 June).

    "The biggest challenge has been to motivate myself back from injury countless times, and to stay positive. Beating higher-ranked opponents in Doha has given me some confidence, and I hope my teammates' morale will also be boosted by my performances."

    Yu had made her long-awaited Olympics debut at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, seven years after she first began winning SEA Games golds for Singapore. She was also part of the Singapore women's table tennis team that shocked China to win the 2010 World Team Championships.

    Gearing up for biggest chapter of playing career

    While Yu is contemplating retirement, Chew is gearing up for the biggest chapter of his table tennis playing career, as he is set to become the first Singapore-born paddler to feature in the men's singles competition at the Olympics.

    The 26-year-old first came into prominence when he represented Singapore at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in the Republic in 2010. Inspired to play the sport after watching the national women's paddlers win a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Games - Singapore's first medal after a 48-year wait - Chew has been steadfast in his ambition to play in the Olympics one day.

    "Watching the women's team playing their hearts out for the country made me want to represent Singapore in major Games," he said during the online media conference.

    There were sacrifices along the way too. After graduating from the Singapore Sports School, Chew had to juggle his time among his budding playing career, his sports and leisure management diploma course at Republic Polytechnic, as well as national service (NS).

    Despite enrolling for the polytechnic course in 2013, he has yet to graduate, after deferments to train for the 2015 and 2017 SEA Games and then NS in 2017.

    "My classmates now are a lot younger than me," the world No. 186 quipped.

    As he continues to juggle between classes and training, Chew is slowly regaining the heights of his playing achievements after making his return after completing his NS in 2019. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he had beaten Hong Kong's world No. 20 Wong Chun Ting at the 2020 ITTF World Team Qualification Tournament.

    "Of course there are times when I feel exhausted, but I have never thought about quitting," he said.

    "This is a path I chose because of my love for table tennis. I will go all out to win matches and be an inspiration to others, just like how those before me have inspired me."
     
  13. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Freida Lim qualifies for Olympics, becomes Singapore's first female diver at Games
    Freida Lim qualifies for Olympics, becomes Singapore's first female diver at Games - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

    upload_2021-6-25_12-10-6.jpeg
    National diver Freida Lim has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: Frieda Lim)

    By Matthew Mohan@MatthewMohanCNA
    22 Jun 2021 05:21PM(Updated: 23 Jun 2021 07:01AM)


    SINGAPORE: Freida Lim has made history by becoming the first Singaporean female diver to qualify for the Olympic Games.

    Lim’s qualification was announced on Tuesday (Jun 22) by the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) in a Facebook post.

    Lim had been awaiting confirmation from FINA on her participation at the Tokyo Games.

    She will join compatriot Jonathan Chan, who booked his berth in 2019. She is now only the second diver in Singapore's history to qualify for the Olympics.

    The Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled to start in July last year, were postponed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
     

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  14. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Swimming: Gan willing to go the distance as she earns partial scholarship to Indiana University
    Swimming: Gan willing to go the distance as she earns partial scholarship to Indiana University, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    [​IMG]
    Gan Ching Hwee will join Indiana University in January on a partial scholarship to study nutrition science.PHOTO: SINGAPORE SWIMMING ASSOCIATION
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek
    • PUBLISHED
      11 HOURS AGO
    SINGAPORE - National swimmer Gan Ching Hwee had her sights set on attending a local university after completing the International Baccalaureate programme at Anglo Chinese School (Independent) this year.

    But that changed when Indiana University reached out to Singapore Swimming Association high performance manager Sonya Porter last December as they were looking for swimmers to recruit.

    After about five months of almost weekly conversations with the school's coaches, including women's head coach Ray Looze, the 17-year-old had a change of heart as she believed that a move to Indiana would be beneficial to her academically and as an athlete.

    The teenager will join Indiana University in January on a partial scholarship to study nutrition science.

    "I started becoming a bit more curious and I could see myself being part of the team. I could feel that they were a really bonded team and I could communicate really well with them," said Gan, who is the women's 1, 500m freestyle national record holder.

    She was also part of the 2019 SEA Games 4x200m free relay team that holds the national record for the event.

    At the 2019 SEA Games, she won two golds and a silver, while she bagged a bronze medal at the 2017 edition.

    It was also important to Gan, who is aiming to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, that the school, which participates in Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Swimming and Diving Championships, had a good distance swimming programme.

    The recruitment of other distance swimmers such as 2019 Pan American Games silver medallist Mariah Denigan was also an encouraging sign for Gan as she often trains on her own for distance events in Singapore.

    She said: "Having that team of distance swimmers really makes me feel not so alone anymore because sometimes in Singapore it can get quite lonely. I'm the only distance swimmer in my squad and sometimes I'm doing stuff all my own.

    "I really wanted to have something for a change; I wanted to see if a change of environment would help me even more and fulfil my potential. I just want to see how far I can go."

    Alumni of the school's swimming programme include breaststroke specialist Lilly King, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and a seven-time world champion.

    Currently, three national swimmers, Quah Zheng Wen (University of California, Berkeley), Quah Jing Wen (Texas A&M) and Darren Lim (Georgia Tech) are training and studying in the US, while Christie Chue will be enrolling in Florida International University in August.
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Sports World: Ting Wen books 100m free SEA Games spot
    Sports World: Ting Wen books 100m free SEA Games spot, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
    • PUBLISHED
      JUN 27, 2021, 5:00 AM SGT

    Ting Wen books 100m free SEA Games spot

    Multiple SEA Games champion Quah Ting Wen secured her 100m freestyle spot in the year-end SEA Games in Vietnam yesterday, while her sister Jing Wen rewrote her 200m butterfly national record.

    At the 16th Singapore National Swimming Championships Invitationals (Major Games Qualifier), Ting Wen won in 55.44sec but did not meet the Olympic qualifying mark of 54.38sec.

    Meanwhile in California, Jing Wen clocked 2min 10.01sec at the Dolfin Fran Crippen Pro Swim Meet Of Champions in Mission Viejo, bettering her previous 200m fly mark of 2:10.26 set at the 2019 Fina Swimming World Cup Singapore.
     
  16. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Shanti Pereira, Quah Ting Wen complete Singapore's 23-strong Olympic contingent
    https://news.yahoo.com/shanti-pereira-quah-ting-wen-singapores-23-olympic-contingent-003637426.htm
    [​IMG]
    Staff Writer, Singapore

    ·Editorial Team
    Sat, July 3, 2021, 8:36 AM·3 min read


    [​IMG]
    Singapore's Veronica Shanti Pereira celebrates winning gold at the 2015 SEA Games. (PHOTO: Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee/Action Images via Reuters)

    SINGAPORE — Sprinter Veronica Shanti Pereira and swimmer Quah Ting Wen are the final athletes added to Team Singapore's 23-strong contingent for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, both earning their spots on Friday (2 July) via universality places set aside by their respective sports governing bodies.

    Pereira, 24, will be competing in the women's 200m sprint after World Athletics (WA) approved her universality place on Friday. This will be her debut appearance at the Olympic Games.

    WA's Olympic qualification system states that National Olympic Committees with no male or female qualified athlete or relay team will be allowed to enter their best ranked male athlete or their best ranked female athlete in one event, with the exception of the 10,000m, 3,000m steeplechase and combined events such as the decathlon.

    Singapore Athletics said in a media statement that Pereira was selected as the nominated universality entry in accordance with its selection criteria.

    Pereira holds the national records for the women's 100m and 200m, and memorably set the 200m national record of 23.60 seconds while winning gold at the 2015 SEA Games, the first time in 42 years that Singapore had won a sprint gold at the biennial event.

    [​IMG]
    Singapore swimmer Quah Ting Wen smiles after winning gold in the women's 50m butterfly at the 2019 SEA Games. (PHOTO SNOC/Andy Chua)

    Meanwhile, Quah earned her third trip to the Olympics also via the universality place set aside by FINA, swimming's world governing body. The 28-year-old had previously competed at the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

    She will compete in the women's 50m and 100m freestyle events.

    The Singapore Swimming Association announced on Friday that Quah had qualified by virtue of being the highest ranked athlete based upon the FINA points table achieved by June.

    She joins her younger brother, Zheng Wen, Olympic champion Joseph Schooling and open-water specialist Chantal Liew as the Republic's swimmers who will feature at the Tokyo Games, which will be held from 23 July to 8 August.

    Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong congratulated the two athletes on making it to the Olympic contingent in a Facebook post on Friday night.

    The 23 Singapore athletes will be competing in 11 sports in Tokyo. They are:
    • Athletics: Veronica Shanti Pereira (women's 200m).

    • Badminton: Loh Kean Yew (men's singles), Yeo Jia Min (women's singles).
    • Diving: Jonathan Chan (men's 10m platform), Freida Lim (women's 10m platform).

    • Equestrian: Caroline Chew (individual dressage).

    • Fencing: Amita Berthier (women's foil), Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman (women's epee).

    • Gymnastics: Tan Sze En (women's individual all-around).

    • Rowing: Joan Poh (women's single sculls).

    • Sailing: Ryan Lo (men's laser), Amanda Ng (women's RS:X), Kimberly Lim & Cecilia Low (women's 49er FX).
    • Shooting: Adele Tan (women's 10m air rifle)
    • Swimming: Joseph Schooling (men's 100m fly), Quah Zheng Wen (men's 100m fly, 100m backstroke), Quah Ting Wen (women's 50m and 100m free), Chantal Liew (women's 10km open water)
    • Table tennis: Clarence Chew (men's singles), Feng Tianwei (women's singles & team), Yu Mengyu (women's singles & team), Lin Ye (women's team).
     
  17. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Bowling: Joey Yeo steps down from national team to pursue medical degree
    Bowling: Joey Yeo steps down from national team to pursue medical degree, Sport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

    [​IMG]
    Joey Yeo taking part in the first block of Women's Masters in bowling at Jakabaring Bowling Center on Aug 26, 2018.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek

    • PUBLISHED
      JUL 3, 2021, 7:24 PM SGT

    SINGAPORE - After enjoying a medal-laden career in bowling, national kegler Joey Yeo has decided to retire from professional sport to pursue her life-long dream of going into the medical field when she enrols in Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Medical School this month.

    The 23-year-old admitted on Saturday (July 3) that it was a tough call to make, but knowing that she had given her best in a career that saw her win a world title, as well as multiple Asian Games and world championship medals, helped walking away from the competitive scene a little easier.

    "I can proudly say that I have achieved a very fulfilled career and it's been a great run. My life journey has just taken on a different path and it's okay to say that," said Yeo, who also expressed gratitude to the Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF), Singapore Sport Institute, her coaches, parents and teammates.

    "It's not like I'm quitting bowling entirely. I will definitely work towards giving back to the community as much as I can because it's given me so much."

    Yeo, who completed her undergraduate studies in physiotherapy at Singapore Institute of Technology last year, wanted to go into medicine to help others.

    She said: "It's always been something about wanting to help people and being able to help people at their most vulnerable state and being there for them.

    "Just being able to help anyone feel better gives me joy and it's something I've felt myself being drawn to since young."

    Yeo began bowling when she was eight and was promoted to the national women's team in 2013.

    A year later, she made her major Games debut at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, where she was part of the team that won the women's team of five gold, which she counts as one of the highlights of her career.

    Although she was not out on the lanes with the team, the experience of being at the competition alongside Cherie Tan, Daphne Tan, Shayna Ng, New Hui Fen and Jazreel Tan is one that she treasures.

    Yeo said: "The women's national team had been very strong for the longest time and I was the newest member of the team and they welcomed me with open arms.

    "Even though I wasn't bowling for them in the team event, I was cheering for them in the sidelines. Seeing their passion and the camaraderie just motivated me to do work with them."

    Another moment she holds close to her heart is when she captured the inaugural Bowling World Open title in Japan in 2015, especially after she missed the cut for the SEA Games in the same year.

    Her other achievements include winning bronze and silver team medals at the 2015 and 2017 Women's World Bowling Championships and a women's trio bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

    National head coach Jason Yeong-Nathan was sad to see Yeo step down as he believes she had not achieved her full potential yet.

    [​IMG]
    Joey Yeo competing at the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, where she won a bronze in the women's trios. PHOTO: ST FILE

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Bowling: World Open champion Joey Yeo in triumphant return to Singapore
    But he was also happy for Yeo, who he described as a determined person with the ability to lift the team's spirits. He said: "She's an inspiration to a lot of kids out there that you can be a successful athlete and still have a successful career after that."

    While the national set-up has lost a promising, young kegler in Yeo, Yeong-Nathan is not worried as he is confident of the abilities of SBF's up-and-coming talents, including the likes of Arianne Tay, 17, who won the girls' singles gold at the 2019 World Junior Bowling Championships.

    He said: "There's a lot of talent that's coming up so I believe it's just a matter of time before someone will fill her shoes. The last two years have been a bit tough because there were no competitions so that slowed down the process."
     
  18. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Meet 23 Singapore Athletes Who are Competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
    Meet 23 Singapore Athletes Who are Competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics | Tatler Singapore (asiatatler.com)

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    Feng Tianwei of Singapore in action at the women's singles Round of 16 compete with Sato Hitomi of Japan. (Photo: Getty Images)
    By Camillia Dass July 06, 2021

    Here are the 23 incredible athletes who will be competing for Team Singapore in the Tokyo Olympic Games which will be taking place from July 23

    Here at home, Singapore is in the midst of our national vaccination programme, which includes vaccinating our athletes who will be representing the country at the games later this month.

    If you are curious who will be part of Team Singapore this year at the games, here are all 23 of our local stars.

    Related: Tokyo 2020 Olympics Will Allow Up to 10,000 Spectators at Each Event

    1/22 Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low
    Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low, award-winning sailors, will be representing the country in the women's 49erFX sailing event at the Tokyo Olympics this year.

    The pair, who were also Asian Games champions together, earned their spot after a spectacular performance at the Hyundai 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships in Auckland back in 2019.

    2/22 Ryan Lo

    STORY CONTINUES BELOW
    1. Skims By Kim Kardashian Will Dress Team USA For Tokyo Olympics 2021
    2. Tokyo Olympics 2021: No Hugs, No Cheers, No Autographs And More Tough Rules For Fans
    3. Joseph Schooling: 5 Facts You May Not Know About The Olympic Champion

    In April this year, Ryan Lo participated in the Mussanah Open Championship and won five out of 10 sailing races he participated in.

    He finished 7th in the medal race on the final day and managed to secure himself a spot on Team Singapore for the Olympics.

    Related: Naomi Osaka Withdraws From French Open Citing Mental Health Reasons


    3/22 Amanda Ng
    Amanda Ng earned her spot at the Tokyo Olympics during the Mussanah Open Championship which took place earlier this year.

    The 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist and sailor won seven out of 12 races to come out tops in her medal race.

    This will be Ng's second Olympics after she participated in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

    4/22 Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman

    Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman may only be 20 years old but she has already taken the fencing world by storm.

    Early this year, Kiria participated in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and managed to beat her opponents to qualify for the Tokyo games alongside her teammate, Amita Berthier.

    Related: Calm App Matches Naomi Osaka’s Fine, Pledges to Pay Other Players’ Penalties

    5/22 Amita Berthier
    Amita Berthier was the first Singaporean to win a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) fencing title earlier this year.

    She then proceeded to beat Yana Alborova in the women's foil final at the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan which qualified her to play at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

    Amita was Singapore's first female fencer to compete at the Olympics until she was joined by Kiria Tikanah. Together, the two young women are set to make history.

    6/22 Tan Sze En


    Tan Sze En is arguably one of Singapore's most accomplished and decorated gymnasts. She participated in the 2018 Asian Games and then moved to the United States at the Legacy Elite Gymnastics to train.

    Following her participation in the 2019 World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart in Germany, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) released the list of Artistic Gymnastics 2020 Olympic Qualifiers and Tan Sze En found herself on the prestigious list.

    Related: The Tennis Stars to Note at Wimbledon 2021

    7/22 Adele Tan
    It was a brutal selection process that took over a year and a half but finally, the Singapore Shooting Association nominated Adele Tan as its women's 10m air rifle representative for the Olympics this year.

    Tan was put through a selection process that comprised of four dedicated meets, the H&N Cup 2020 Munich and three internal shoots.

    After winning gold at the H&N Cup and setting a new national record of 632.5 points while she was at it, Tan was a clear frontrunner to represent the nation at the Olympics.

    8/22 Joseph Schooling


    Joseph Schooling needs no introduction as one of Singapore's most successful and notable athletes. After winning Singapore’s first and only Olympic gold in 2016, he shot to instant fame and very quickly became one of the country's darlings.

    Since his big win, Schooling has participated in a number of swimming competitions including the 2019 SEA Games. He has also been training hard for the Tokyo Olympics which he will be competing in this year.

    Related: Joseph Schooling: 5 Facts You May Not Know About the Olympic Champion

    9/22 Quah Zheng Wen
    Quah Zhang Wen is Joseph Schooling's talented and accomplished teammate who will be participating in the 100m butterfly and backstroke events at the Olympics.

    He participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 28th SEA Games. At the last Olympics, Quah achieved a personal best time of 200 meters butterfly in the heats.

    10/22 Quah Ting Wen

    Quah Ting Wen, who is the elder sister of Quah Zheng Wen, is living proof that talent really does run in the family. This year, she qualified for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics by being the "highest-ranked athlete based upon the FINA Points Table", according to the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA).

    This will be the third time that Quah will be competing in the Olympics after participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2016 Rio one and now the Tokyo games.

    Related: Maria Sharapova is Retiring: A Look Back On Her Colourful Tennis Career

    11/22 Chantal Liew
    In June this year, Chantal Liew, an open water swimmer, secured her place for the Tokyo Olympics after finishing 29th in the 10km race at the FINA Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier in Setubal, Portugal. She clocked a time of 2:12:19.5 and qualified by being the best Asian finisher.

    Liew was also the first Singaporean woman to win an open water swimming medal at the SEA Games after she managed to score a silver medal.
     
  19. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    12/22 Johnathan Chan


    National diver, Johnathan Chan, qualified for the Olympics after he won the men's 10m platform final at the Asian Diving Cup in 2019.

    Despite his happy-go-lucky attitude towards diving, Chan has two silver and three bronze medals from the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2015 and 2017 respectively. The young athlete also has represented Singapore at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China.

    Chan is the first Singaporean diver to ever qualify for the Olympics.

    Related: Joseph Schooling on Defending His Olympic Gold and Life After Swimming

    13/22 Freida Lim
    Freida Lim is the first female Singaporean diver and the second diver in Singapore’s history to qualify for the games.

    The diver placed 15th in the women’s 10m platform semi-final at the Fina Diving World Cup earlier this year but it was not confirmed if she was going to the Olympics or not. However, in June, Lim received the happy news that she will be joining Johnathan Tan in the games where her training will hopefully pay off.

    14/22 Clarence Chew

    Clarence Chew is the first Singapore-born table tennis player to qualify for the men’s singles event.

    In March, the 25-year-old defeated teammate Koen Pang, Southeast Asia Games Champion, in the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in Qatar in order to secure his place in the Olympics.

    15/22 Feng Tianwei
    Feng Tianwei first made headlines during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The table tennis star won a silver medal which was Singapore’s second-ever Olympic medal.

    She then went on to the next games where she won a bronze medal of her own. She became the second Singaporean to win an individual Olympic medal.

    She ended up bowing out of the quarter-finals at the 2016 Rio Olympics but is back this year to fight for her title at the Tokyo Olympics.

    Related: Tokyo Olympics 2021: Inside the Olympic Games Athletes’ Village

    16/22 Yu Mengyu

    At 31, the Tokyo Olympics looks set to be Yu Mengyu's last one. However, she is determined to go out with a bang.

    After finishing fourth with the women's team and making the women's singles quarter-finals at the last Olympics, Yu is determined to improve her standings despite the recent flare-up of her chronic back injury.

    17/22 Lin Ye
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    Lin Ye of Singapore in action at the women's singles match compete with Sato Hitomi of Japan. (Photo: Getty Images)
    This year, Lin Ye will be making her Olympic debut and will be representing Singapore in the women's team event.

    Lin will be leaving with her local teammates soon for acclimatisation training until July 17. She is one to watch and looks set to prove her talent in the upcoming games.

    Related: Skims by Kim Kardashian Will Dress Team USA For Tokyo Olympics 2021

    18/22 Loh Kean Yew

    Loh Kean Yew, one of Singapore's national shuttlers, qualified for the Olympics in early June after securing 18th place in the Race to Tokyo men's ranking.

    This will be his Olympic debut and he will be playing alongside Yeo Jia Min.

    19/22 Yeo Jia Min
    Yeo Jia Min will be making her Olympic debut this year after placing 17th in the Race to Tokyo women's ranking.

    Her position was confirmed by the Badminton World Federation earlier this month and she will be leaving with Loh Kean Yew to Tokyo this month.

    Related: Covid-19: How to Work Out Properly While Wearing Face Masks in Singapore

    20/22 Shanti Pereira
    Veronica Shanti Pereira will be Singapore's only representative at the track and field event during the Tokyo Olympics after she qualified for the prestigious sporting event early this month.

    Pereira currently holds national records in the women's 100m and 200m and will compete in the women's 200m in Tokyo.

    21/22 Caroline Chew
    It was a last-minute withdrawal by New Zealand that allowed for Caroline Chew to slip into the line-up of athletes that will be competing for Singapore at the Olympics.

    In fact, Chew has just become the first Singaporean to compete in equestrian at the Olympics after she and her house, Tribiani, registered a personal best of 69.674. Her score surpassed the minimum requirement of 66 needed to qualify for the Olympics and scored her a place in the games.

    Chew has, in the past, won silver in the dressage individual and team events at the 2015 SEA Games. She also won the bronze individual and team medals in the 2017 edition of the games.

    Related: Who will Emerge as US Open 2021 Champion at Torrey Pines Golf Course?

    22/22 Joan Poh

    Joan Poh is certainly a force to behold. Not only is she a nurse and front-line worker but she also managed to qualify for the Olympics this year after working incredibly hard.

    In 2018, Poh competed in the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia. She finished ninth in the women's 2,000m single sculls and decided to set her sights on the Olympics next.

    To do this, she went on unpaid leave from the start of 2019 in order to train in Hong Kong, China, Greece, Canada and Australia.

    Poh returned to her work in the hospital when she realised that the Olympics would be postponed. In May this year though, Poh managed to earn a spot on Team Singapore for the rowing women's single sculls event in Tokyo where she intends to achieve her Olympic dreams.
     
  20. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    No plain sailing for Singapore's Olympic debutant Ryan Lo
    No plain sailing for Singapore's Olympic debutant Ryan Lo, Latest Team Singapore News - The New Paper (tnp.sg)

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    National Laser class sailor Ryan Lo has been training in Split, Croatia, in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THOM TOUW
    S'pore sailor's Olympic debut comes after long road of sacrifices, ups and downs
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    Jeremiah Ong

    Jul 15, 2021 06:00 am
      • The road to the Olympics would not be complete without ups and downs, caveats and sacrifices.

    For Singapore sailor Ryan Lo, not only did it mean having to put his university studies on hold since completing national service in 2018, but he has also been overseas for long periods over the past few years.

    While the 24-year-old has missed home, having been based in Europe since February, he also keeps focus on his larger goal - his Olympic debut.

    "Not being home for long is something not ideal but necessary in my preparations for the Olympics," Lo, who has been training in Split, Croatia, told The New Paper.

    Conditions in Europe are ideal for sailing races, especially since he is able to test himself against the best.

    Lo, who competes in the Laser class, said: "I have been very fortunate to be able to come to Europe to train and compete with the top sailors in the world, so my training preparations are going well in the lead up to the Games."

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    The Olympics have been his target for the past five years, but it was not all smooth sailing.

    Lo missed opportunities to qualify for the Tokyo Games at the World Championships in Denmark in 2018, where he finished 79th out of 165 competitors, and at the same year's Asian Games, where he won a bronze medal but was unable to secure the only Olympic spot on offer.

    Lo, who won a SEA Games gold medal in the Philippines in 2019, missed out on an Olympic spot again at the World Championships in Japan that year.

    Following that, he had to endure a lengthy wait.

    The next Olympic qualifier - last year's Asian Sailing Championships - was postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    But he finally booked his ticket to Tokyo in April after winning the Mussanah Open Championship in Oman.

    "There was some uncertainty, which was a bit stressful, but in the end, the postponement of the Olympics itself helped me improve significantly, so it definitely worked out for me," he said.

    When asked about his concerns regarding the Games, Lo said he was slightly worried about the heat and humidity, but remained confident in the pandemic-related safety measures put in place by local authorities.

    SAILORS IN TOKYO
    He won't be the only Singaporean sailor when the Olympic sailing competition starts on July 25 at the Enoshima Yacht Harbour, about 50km south-west of Tokyo.

    The Republic will also be represented by Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low, who compete in the women's 49er FX class, and windsurfer Amanda Ng, who is in the women's RS:X class.

    Lo is proud to fly the Republic's flag at the Olympics, saying: "It's a great honour to represent Singapore at one of, if not the pinnacle of sports events.

    "I am very grateful for the opportunity to be able to make a small country like Singapore known and hopefully make the whole nation proud."
     

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