Singapore Sports Scene

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

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Bowling | Cherie Tan wins Singapore International Open, Swedish Kim Bolleby crowned men’s champion


    [​IMG]
    Photo: Singapore Bowling Federation

    Follow us on Instagram and Telegram
    December 18, 2022
    By Khalis Rifhan

    The competition format saw the top four bowlers from round two of the open category proceeding to the step ladder knockout round, with the fourth and third-placed players taking on each other and the winner advancing to meet the second-placed player in the semi-finals.

    SINGAPORE: National team bowler Cherie Tan composed herself after dropping the first game 191-237 to fellow team Singapore athlete New Hui Fen to win the second game 232-181 in the 52nd Singapore International Open 2022 women’s step ladder final held at the Singapore Bowling at Rifle Range on Sunday.

    The men’s category saw Swedish Kim Bolleby taking both games, seeing off Malaysian Muhammad Hafiz Zainuddin 245-234, 242-231. The prize money for the men’s open champions is $25,000 while the women’s open champion walked away with $10,000.

    The competition format saw the top four bowlers from round two of the open category proceeding to the step ladder knockout round, with the fourth and third-placed players taking on each other and the winner advancing to meet the second-placed player in the semi-finals.

    Bolleby took on Park Minsu (South Korea) in the semi-finals winning 234-197, while New defeated Nora Johansson (Sweden) 232-200 in the women’s semi-finals.
    [​IMG]
    Men’s and Women’s Open Division Step-Ladder Finals (52nd Singapore International Open 2022)
    “Won the Singapore open!!! Huge prestige event to win and put in the list! Really happy to finish off with a big win this year, this one hits me hard! First half of the season was mentally grueling and felt defeated,” posted Bolleby on his Facebook after the win in Singapore.

    Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Edwin Tong was in attendance as he handed the trophy and prize presentation to the winners at the end of the tournament.

    “It was an exciting Saturday evening at the 52nd Singapore International Open 2022 – the first bowling event organised by the Singapore Bowling Federation in more than two years,” shared the Minister on his social media.

    “No surprises as to the brightest performers of the night – with Cherie and Hui Fen shining at the Open Grand Finals, bowling strike after strike.”

    “The last time I caught the bowlers was at the SEA Games in Hanoi, so it was great catching up again. Enthusiastic, passionate and driven – some words I would describe our next generation of bowlers – I’ll definitely continue to cheer them on for their bowling endeavours!”

    This is the first time that the Singapore Bowling Federation organised the Singapore Open after a two-year break which saw over 600 bowlers competing, including more than 100 from overseas as well as defending champion Rafiq Ismail from Malaysia and Sam Cooley from Australia.

    The competition saw other categories such as the under-12, under-16, under-18, youth and mixed seniors division which began from 3 Dec. You may view the full results here.

    Send in your scoops to news@theindependent.sg
     
  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    [​IMG]Yahoo News Singapore
    Lions' 3-1 win over Maldives dampened by Ikhsan Fandi's injury
    [​IMG]
    Chia Han Keong

    ·Editor
    Sat, 17 December 2022 at 9:08 pm SGT·3-min read

    [​IMG]
    Singapore forward Ilhan Fandi (left) in action against the Maldives in an international friendly match at Jalan Besar Stadium. (PHOTO: Football Association of Singapore)

    SINGAPORE — Singapore's national football team tuned up for next week's AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup with an encouraging 3-1 victory over the Maldives in an international friendly at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (17 December).

    Goals from Ilhan Fandi - his first senior goal for the Lions - and Shawal Anuar (two goals) gave head coach Takayuki Nishigaya victory in his first home game since he took charge in April.

    However, the Lions' winning mood was dampened by the sight of key striker Ikhsan Fandi being stretchered off in the first half, clutching his right knee. Ilhan and midfielder Adam Swandi also limped off to some concern on the Lions' bench in the second half.

    Other than the worrying injuries, the Lions - ranked 160th in the world - began the match brightly in front of about 3,000 spectators, taking the lead in the fourth minute against their opponents, who are at 154th in the Fifa world rankings.

    Ilhan started the move with a surging run on the right flank, laying off for his elder brother Ikhsan just outside the box. Despite being tripped by a Maldives defender, Ikhsan recovered to pass to an onrushing Christopher van Huizen on the left flank.

    The winger swung in a superb cross, and Ilhan met it with a thumping header to open his account for the Lions.

    Introduction of Shawal gave Lions second wind
    Despite dominating possession, Singapore suffered a setback in the 17th minute, when Maldives snatched an equaliser against the run of play.

    A corner from the left flank by Hamzah Mohamed found Ibrahim Mahudhee, who rose high over van Huizen to head past Zaiful Nizam.

    Ikhsan's 38th-minute injury deflated the Lions as they struggled for possession at the end of the first half. Nishigaya's response was to bring in Shawal on for the second half, and immediately the Lions seemed re-energised by the bubbly forward's incessant probing.

    They duly took the lead again in the 50th minute. Van Huizen's throw-in from the left flank found Song Ui-young, who swung in a pin-point cross for Shawal to plant a downward header which bounced in at the Maldives goalkeeper's near post.

    The Hougang United stalwart doubled his tally for the match in the 87th minute, courtesy of more fine work from the Lions flank. This time it was from the right flank, as substitute right-back Ryhan Stewart eluded his marker and fired in a low and accurate cross for Shawal to tap in from point-blank range.

    The Lions will begin their AFF Mitsubishi Cup campaign against Myanmar at the Jalan Besar Stadium next Saturday (24 December), and will also play Vietnam at the same venue on 30 December. They will face Laos (27 December) and Malaysia (3 January) away in the group stage.

    Nishigaya is expected to announced his final 23-man squad for the AFF tournament on Monday.

    Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.
     
  3. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    MCI deputy secretary Alan Goh to take over as SportSG chief executive in April
    [​IMG]
    MCI deputy secretary Alan Goh (left) will take over from the national agency’s current chief executive Lim Teck Yin. PHOTOS: MCI
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek
    UPDATED
    DEC 22, 2022, 1:21 AM SGT

    SINGAPORE – After more than a decade, Sport Singapore (SportSG) will have a new man at the helm, with Ministry of Communications and Information deputy secretary (development and regulation) Alan Goh taking over from the national agency’s chief executive Lim Teck Yin.

    Goh, who was one of the Singapore Sailing Federation’s vice-presidents from 2018 to 2019, has been at the ministry since September 2019. He will be appointed CEO (designate) from Feb 15 and succeed Lim on April 1, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) announced on Wednesday.

    Before that, Goh was in the Republic of Singapore Navy and held various command and staff appointments in the Singapore Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence in areas such as policy and strategy, operations, planning, human resource and maritime security.

    According to his LinkedIn profile, he was also involved in sports as a student, captaining the Downing College basketball team at the University of Cambridge, where he read mathematics from 1995 to 1998, and was also a competitive sailor in his school days.

    Goh, 46, takes over from Lim, a former national water polo player with six SEA Games gold medals, who joined SportSG as its CEO in April 2011.

    His predecessor was former national swimmer Oon Jin Teik, who helmed the Singapore Sports Council (later renamed SportSG) from 2004 to 2010.

    Lim, 59, was a brigadier-general and previously commandant of the Safti Military Institute. He was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2015 for his contributions to Singapore sports and, under him, the local scene has notched several major milestones.

    Those in the local sporting fraternity hailed Lim’s efforts in showcasing Singapore as a place that can host international sports events.

    In addition to marquee events such as the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix and the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens, other major competitions that have been added to the sporting calendar in the past decade include table tennis’ US$2 million (S$2.7 million) Singapore Smash in March, which featured the world’s best players.

    Noting Lim’s “pivotal role” in bringing the Singapore Smash here, Singapore Table Tennis Association president Poh Li San said it was “a success and raised home fan interest in world-class table tennis action”.

    Singapore Badminton Association chief executive Alan Ow recalled how Lim had pushed for the Singapore Open to be upgraded from a BWF World Tour Super 500 event to a Super 750 event. The latter offers more ranking points and a larger prize purse.

    Singapore Bowling Federation president Valerie Teo said with Lim’s leadership, the sport has been able to flourish, with national bowlers bringing home world, Asian and South-east Asian titles. Teo, a former national bowler, noted that this was not just the case for bowling, but other newer, emerging sports.

    She added: “I hope to continue our strong partnership with SportSG and as we continue to strive for continued success I hope that we continue to grow in the areas of research, capitalising on our sports science expertise and harnessing technology to aid our athletes in achieving their goals and bring glory to Singapore.”

    As the driving force behind Vision 2030 – Singapore’s masterplan for sports – Lim spearheaded the national movement ActiveSG, which was launched in April 2014 with the aim of creating a sporting ecosystem that makes programmes accessible to all.

    Academies and clubs (A&Cs) for various sports were also set up to provide structured programming for locals to learn and develop skills in sports. There are currently 20 A&Cs across 20 sports and recreational activities, including para-sports like cerebral palsy football and athletics for the intellectually disabled.

    During his tenure, Singapore also hosted the 2015 SEA Games and Asean Para Games.

    In 2022, Lim also oversaw SportSG’s takeover of the Singapore Sports Hub after it was announced that it would be terminating its public-private partnership with the previous operator, SportsHub Pte Ltd.

    There were several breakthroughs in high performance, with swimmer Joseph Schooling winning Singapore’s first Olympic gold medal in 2016, while in 2021, Loh Kean Yew became the Republic’s first badminton world champion.

    MCCY Minister Edwin Tong said: “Under his leadership, SportSG has made strides to enhance our sporting culture, delivering more robust programmes and services so that more Singaporeans can enjoy and benefit from sport.

    “We have much more to do, as we continue our aspiration to build up a sport ecosystem where our aspiring athletes can participate, excel and aspire to greater heights. Teck Yin’s contributions over the past decade have given us a good platform from which to make those changes.”

    Ow hopes that under Goh’s leadership, there will be a greater emphasis on high performance, especially for younger athletes.

    He said: “If I have a wish list, it’s hoping that Alan can come in and do something about Spex (Sports Excellence) at a younger age so it’s not just spexScholars who have achieved results, but for athletes with potential. That will encourage the next generation of athletes and their parents to allow them to embark on the athletes’ journey.”

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Ex-Sentosa chief Quek Swee Kuan to head Sports Hub from Dec 1
    SportSG takeover: Complex nature of project, inability to align interests among reasons for move
     
  4. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    ‘Aquatics as a unifying force for good’ — Mark Chay, Singapore Swimming Association president
    'Aquatics as a unifying force for good' — Mark Chay, Singapore Swimming Association president - Singapore News (theindependent.sg)

    [​IMG]
    Photo: Singapore Swimming Association

    Share
    Follow us on Instagram and Telegram
    January 3, 2023
    By Khalis Rifhan

    “We are in a privileged position. We are among the few sports to be able to galvanise the nation and I truly believe our sport can be a unifying force for good,” he said.

    The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) president Mark Chay new year’s message to their members showed their objective for 2023, to build upon the breakthroughs and success of previous years as they prepare for three major events; the Cambodia SEA Games in May, the World Championships in Fukuoka in July, followed by the Hangzhou Asian Games, scheduled for September.

    In 2022, Singapore won 21 golds, 11 silvers and 12 bronze at the SEA Games in Hanoi. Swimmer Teong Tzen Wei brought home the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and a historic fourth-place finish at the World Championships (25m). Teong equalled his Asian record of 22.01 seconds but lost out on a podium finish by 0.03sec to Hungary’s world record-holder Szebasztian Szabo who took bronze.

    “When our team took over the reins at the Singapore Swimming Association, our goal was to make sure aquatics maintains its position as the top sport in Singapore. And I am glad to see that aquatics is indeed not only the top medal producer at major games, but is one of the rare sports in Singapore that can truly compete for a medal on the world stage,” said SSA president Chay.

    “We are in a privileged position. We are among the few sports to be able to galvanise the nation and I truly believe our sport can be a unifying force for good.”

    [​IMG]
    Photo: Singapore Swimming Association

    While water polo was not featured in the 2022 SEA Games, Singapore hosted the inaugural Water Polo Inter Nations Cup, and both the men’s and women’s teams cemented their dominance as the top sides in the region.

    The men’s competition was played in a round-robin format, and the Singapore team won all five matches; Singapore 11-6 Thailand, Singapore 31-4 Malaysia, Singapore 11-2 Singapore B, Singapore 12-3 Philippine, Singapore 16-2 Indonesia.

    In the women’s competition, Singapore A defeated Thailand 9-4 to be crowned champions, while Singapore B went down 9-3 to Malaysia in the bronze medal match.

    The SSA president also highlighted achievements by other aquatics athletes, such as Max Lee, who made history by finishing fourth at the World Junior Diving Championships and was the only Asian in the 12-diver final in Montreal, Canada.

    Chay, who was elected unopposed as the association’s president in July 2022, said that the swimming association wants to go beyond just high-performance athletes, and this year they hope to launch more learn-to-swim initiatives with partners and affiliates to reach out to the masses.

    “We will not only be imparting life skills, but hopefully, also help more people fall in love with the sport and become lifelong fans,” explained Chay, who is also a Nominated Member of Parliament.

    “We will also continue our initiatives to give back to the community, via initiatives such as the SAFRA Swim for Hope in which our athletes do their bit to raise funds for various beneficiaries, including the SSA.”

    SSA will participate in several fundraising initiatives this year – starting with the Water Polo Community Fund Raising event on January 7-8 at Our Tampines Hub. The goal is to raise $50,000 for water polo initiatives, and the SSA president urges the fraternity to support these events as much as possible
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    School sports: Decision to extend IB studies pays off for national fencer Joel Chiu
    [​IMG]
    National fencer Joel Chiu extended his IB diploma programme by a year to qualify for the Hanoi SEA Games in 2022. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek
    UPDATED

    JAN 4, 2023, 12:21 AM SGT

    SINGAPORE – When national fencer Joel Chiu enrolled for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme at the Singapore Sports School (SSP), he opted for the extended course so that he could have more time to juggle studies and sport.

    This meant that he took three years to complete the programme instead of the usual two, and he had to watch his batch mates graduate before him.

    But the decision paid off for him, as he not only won a gold medal as part of the men’s foil team at the 2022 SEA Games in Hanoi, but also did well in his studies.

    While Chiu, 19, declined to reveal his IB score, he was among about two-thirds of SSP’s cohort who scored at least 40 out of the maximum 45 points when the results were released on Tuesday.

    Citing the Hanoi Games as his highlight of 2022, Chiu said: “There were concerns that I maybe wouldn’t get to graduate with my batch of friends because we were studying together over several years.

    “I accepted it because it was either that or I try and qualify for the SEA Games and the SEA Games were more important.”

    It was also relief for national shooter Natanya Tan, who attained a perfect score.

    May was the busiest and most challenging month for the St Joseph’s Institution International student.

    She had to make several key submissions for her IB programme, complete a calculus exam, take her IB English oral exam and compete at the Hanoi Games.

    In Vietnam, she won the bronze medal in the women’s 10m air rifle team event.

    With her IB English oral exam taking place just three days after the Hanoi Games, she had to squeeze in some time to recite her exam script while undergoing her pre-match routine, which includes prayers, meditation and visualisation.

    She was also kept busy by her duties as president of her school’s debating society and captain of the senior debating team, as well as her involvement in several mental health projects.

    [​IMG]
    Natanya Tan in action during the women’s 10m air rifle finals at the National Sports Training Center in Hanoi on May 16, 2022. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

    The 18-year-old, who hopes to pursue a degree in medicine or psychology, plans to take a gap year in 2023 to focus on qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

    Things were also not easy for national sprinter Mark Lee, who found it challenging to balance his studies and sporting commitments at times.

    This became especially hard when he had to compete in the 2022 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Colombia in August, with his preliminary exams about a fortnight away.

    [​IMG]
    National sprinter Mark Lee scored 41 points in his IB examinations. PHOTO: ACS(I)

    So the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student prioritised the competition, leading to less-than-ideal results in his exams.

    But, with the help of his teachers, parents and friends, Lee was able to score 41 points at the IB exams.

    “I’m very grateful for everyone around me,” said the 18-year-old, who broke twodecade-long records in both the A Division boys’ 100m and 200m in 2022 and won a bronze medal in the men’s 4x100m relay in Hanoi.

    “They were understanding of my different commitments and they helped me a lot with getting back on track.”

    [​IMG]
    Singapore Sports School’s Sabrina Lee, a member of Singapore Badminton Association’s national team training squad from 2021 to 2022, juggled her sporting commitments with school and her role as president of the student council. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

    SSP’s Sabrina Lee, who was a member of the Singapore Badminton Association’s national team training squad from 2021 to 2022, was pleased with her score of 44 points.

    Having a supportive community was crucial in helping the 18-year-old manage her sporting commitments with school and her duties as the student council’s president.

    She said: “I really enjoyed the process – it wasn’t suffering all the time, I was together with friends and I really enjoyed being in our small classes.

    “Since we had such a small community, we shared the same goals and we kept each other going.”

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    IB results: Singapore excels with nearly half of perfect scorers worldwide
    Choose A levels or International Baccalaureate diploma programme?
     
  6. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Singapore's Elliot Wong, 11, wins under-18 Chess Invitational in Hong Kong
    Singapore's Elliot Wong, 11, wins under-18 Chess Invitational in Hong Kong | The Star
    • Tuesday, 10 Jan 2023

      2:42 PM MYT

    [​IMG]
    Elliot Wong,11, beat older competitors from Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Korea and Malaysia to win the Hong Kong Bauhinia U18 Chess Invitational. - ELLIOT WONG

    SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): After an excellent year on the board, Singapore’s chess players closed out 2022 with another big result, this time from 11-year-old Elliot Wong, who emerged as champion of the Hong Kong Bauhinia U18 Chess Invitational on Dec 30.

    He beat older opponents from Hong Kong, Philippines, South Korea and Malaysia to claim the trophy, and also finished third in the blitz bowl category.

    Elliot, who studies at St Joseph’s Institution Junior, said: “Winning the HK tournament was super special and a very pleasant surprise. I was awestruck by the quality of all my opponents.

    “The games were very competitive and I was really humbled by the quality of all my opponents.”

    He picked up chess at the age of four and surprised himself by winning the National Kindergarten tournament two years later. In 2021, he finished 18th out of 227 players in the Fide Online Rapid World Cup Cadet and Youth U10 event.

    He added: “Chess is like a very special friend whom I enjoy being with. It is a game I love, whether I am enjoying or struggling while learning it.

    “Chess is also a mentor which has shown me what it means to treat both triumph and defeat just the same.”

    Singapore Chess Federation chief executive Kevin Goh lauded Elliot’s result and noted that the young player had come up against opponents ranked significantly higher than him. Elliot is currently 1,522nd in the world for standard chess.

    Organised by the Hong Kong Chess Federation, the tournament was divided into two parts – the main event where standard chess rules were applied and blitz bowl, which was a friendly competition.

    According to Goh, Elliot is ranked second in standard chess for his age group in Singapore and is one of the most active young players in the country.

    “I am very pleased for his success and I hope that this will encourage him to continue working hard and improve his game,” said Goh.

    “For young players, it is important to focus on progress and to continue training hard. They are still too young to think about titles.”

    Elliot added: “I aspire to be able to do well in the World Junior championship one day. I know I have to spend a lot of time and effort to have a chance to get there and I will try my very best.”

    The final month of the year was a fruitful one for Singapore’s players, with woman grandmaster Gong Qianyun finishing a creditable 13th out of 98 competitiors at the Fida Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship.

    This was followed by Elliot’s triumph in Hong Kong, which came just weeks after Singaporean grandmaster Tin Jingyao finished second at the III Elllobregat Open Chess tournament in Barcelona.

    En route, he defeated American grandmaster Hans Niemann – who was embroiled in a cheating controversy after beating world champion Magnus Carlsen in September – before repeating the feat at the Fide World Rapid & Blitz Championship Rapid Open.
     
  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Joseph Schooling, Amanda Lim among more than 500 Team Singapore athletes picked for SEA Games
    [​IMG]
    Team Singapore at the opening ceremony of the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi. More than 500 athletes will represent Singapore at the SEA Games in Cambodia in 2023. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
    [​IMG]
    Deepanraj Ganesan
    UPDATED

    JAN 18, 2023, 12:49 AM SGT

    SINGAPORE - National swimmers Joseph Schooling, Teong Tzen Wei and Amanda Lim, who were embroiled in a drug controversy in 2022, are among the 517 athletes in 27 sports who have been shortlisted for the May 5-17 SEA Games in Cambodia.

    Former silat world champion Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alau’ddin, who made headlines on Monday after he was charged with drink driving, is also part of the selected Games contingent.

    The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) selection committee, which is chaired by its president Tan Chuan-Jin, met on Monday to consider the nominations for the Games, with the list announced a day later.

    In a statement to The Straits Times on Tuesday morning, Sport Singapore said it is aware of Ferdous’ drink-driving charge.

    Its spokesman added: “As a spexScholar and Singapore’s sport ambassador, Ferdous is expected to uphold the highest standards of conduct in and out of the competition arena.

    “SportSG takes a very serious view of the matter and will conduct an internal review after the court proceedings have been completed, and determine the appropriate actions to be taken thereafter.”

    Olympic champion Schooling – who has 29 golds at the SEA Games – Commonwealth Games silver medallist Teong and Lim had in 2022 admitted to have had consumed a controlled drug overseas.

    The trio’s support was suspended by Sport Singapore and they were banned from national team training for a month after an internal review.

    They were also fined by the SNOC, with the council then stating that Schooling would be debarred from selection for all major games for two years, should he be found to have consumed drugs prohibited by Singapore law or breach any rule of the SNOC code of conduct in future.

    While familiar names from badminton, football, swimming and table tennis are among the 517 shortlisted athletes, two-time SEA Games marathon champion Soh Rui Yong – who met the qualifying mark for the 5,000m and 10,000m – is not on the list.

    When queried on Soh’s omission, the SNOC said that the 31-year-old had not been nominated by Singapore Athletics (SA). The national sports association did not respond to ST’s queries by press time.

    Soh said on Tuesday that he understands that SNOC and SA are still in discussion on this matter and that “the full team hasn’t been finalised yet”.

    He added: “I fully appreciate SA’s support on the matter in putting me in a position to represent Singapore at the SEA Games again.

    “Whether or not I’m at the SEA Games, though, I love this sport and will always be training every day to be a better athlete and person than I was before.”

    Soh has clashed with the SNOC on several occasions over issues, including the athlete’s breach of regulations regarding the promotion of personal sponsors at the 2017 SEA Games. He was not selected for the 2019 and delayed 2021 editions, after the SNOC took issue with his “non-performance related standards and qualities such as attitude and behaviour”.

    This will be the first time that Cambodia will host the biennial Games, where there will be 38 sports. Competitors will take part in a record 608 events, with the previous high coming in 2019 in the Philippines when there were 530.

    New and unfamiliar sports such as jet ski, obstacle race and demonstration sport teqball, which is played on a curved table combining elements of football and table tennis, have been included.

    There is also a slew of martial arts such as karate, judo, taekwondo, pencak silat and a group of traditional and local disciplines such as kun bokator arnis, jujitsu, kick boxing, vovinam and kun khmer.

    However, several Olympic sports that had previously brought gold medals for Singapore like shooting, rowing and archery have been omitted.

    But water polo, which was dropped from the last Games in Hanoi, makes a return and this gives the Singapore men’s team an opportunity to recapture the SEA Games crown which they relinquished in 2019. Prior to that, Singapore had a 52-year stranglehold on the Games title.

    Floorball and sailing, which won two and six medals respectively at the 2019 edition, will also return. The sailors are not included in SNOC’s list as trials are due to commence only in late January.

    At the last edition in Vietnam in 2022, Singapore’s contingent of 424 athletes across 33 sports returned with a haul of 47 gold, 46 silver and 71 bronze medals.

    The 2015 edition on home ground remains Singapore’s best performance at the regional affair (84 gold, 73 silver and 102 bronze medals) while the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur (58 gold, 59 silver and 71 bronze medals) is Singapore’s best away Games.

    The SNOC said that athletes who have yet to meet the qualifying criteria have until February to meet the selection criteria for the appeals committee to consider.
     
  8. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Athletics: ‘Small steps’ mantra helps jumper Kam to second national mark in a week
    [​IMG]
    Kampton Kam cleared 2.08m to claim first place in the men’s high jump event at the Wesley A. Brown Invitational. PHOTO: KAMPTON KAM
    [​IMG]
    Deepanraj Ganesan
    UPDATED

    JAN 23, 2023, 9:14 PM SGT

    Inspired by Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, Singaporean high jumper Kampton Kam developed his own mantra: To head in the right direction, one centimetre at a time.

    Olympic, world and European champion Duplantis has been setting new standards since he was seven and has made breaking world records his trademark, literally and figuratively raising the bar in his sport. At the World Athletics Championships in July, Duplantis added a centimetre to his own world pole vault record to claim his first outdoor world title, soaring over 6.21 metres.

    Kam’s motto of showing an improvement each time he competes has got him off to a perfect start in 2023, rewriting the national indoor record twice in the United States, where he is based, in the span of a week.

    “I look to Duplantis as a source of inspiration,” said the 21-year-old, who competes for the University of Pennsylvania as a freshman.

    “Every time he competes, he always goes one better than the last time. That is my goal – I want to get better each week and head in the right direction one or two centimetres at a time. The idea is to keep taking all these small steps and at the end, all the efforts will pay off.”

    Kam set his latest 2.08m mark in winning gold at the Wesley A. Brown Invitational, held at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland on Saturday.

    Exactly a week earlier, he had kicked off his collegiate athletics career with a bang when he leapt 2.06m at the Penn 10-Team Select in Staten Island, New York. That helped him claim gold and better his previous national mark that had stood since December 2021, by one centimetre.

    Up next for Kam will likely be the Rutgers Open meet in New York next Friday.

    Kam, who also holds the national outdoor Under-18 (2.10m), Under-20 (2.15m) and Under-23 (2.20m) marks, said that being aware of what he needs to improve on has also helped.

    Currently, he has been working hard on perfecting his strides in the lead up to his leap.

    “I have to keep looking at what I can get better in because the long-term goal is to get to the 2024 Olympics and to get there, I will need to hit 2.33m. For a high jump, the way you need to sprint is different from the usual sprint you would have in a race. My coach has been working with me on the way I run and each week I am coping better with that, “ he said.

    While the Olympics are the ultimate dream, Kam’s immediate goal is to qualify for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor Track and Field Championships to be held in New Mexico, in March.

    To do so, he will need to be ranked as one of the NCAA’s top 16 indoor high jumpers. Currently, Kam’s 2.08m mark places him 57th.

    And even as he is motivated and determined to keep improving, he is eager to enjoy the meets and competitions as they come.

    He said: “I have waited a long time to come to the US and compete here. I am treating it seriously but, at the same time, I want to learn to have fun with it. I am getting to go to a lot of new places while on this journey and my coach has repeatedly told me to not worry and keep giving my best. And I aim to do just that in the years ahead.”

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Athletics: High jumper Kampton Kam breaks national indoor record
    SEA Games: High jumper Kampton Kam's medal hopes dashed by collapsed lung
     
  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Cycling: Singapore federation opens first track cycling academy
    [​IMG]
    The Singapore Cycling Federation will launch a track cycling academy for the first time for 14 to 18-year-olds. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CYCLING FEDERATION
    [​IMG]
    Laura Chia
    UPDATED

    JAN 20, 2023, 10:57 PM SGT

    The Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) has launched a track cycling academy, with a view to the potential opening of a velodrome at Kallang by 2027 and fielding a team at the 2029 SEA Games.

    The academy, targeted at 14- to 18-year-olds, was opened with the intention of providing athletes with a pathway to representing the nation in the discipline at major competitions, including the 2029 SEA Games on home soil.

    Track cycling typically takes place on specially built banked tracks or a velodrome, unlike other disciplines which take place on roads.

    Skills clinics at Jurong West Stadium’s outdoor cycling track and power profile tests at the Singapore Sports Institute will be conducted over the next two months before the cyclists are selected at the end of March, said SCF high performance director Shayne Bannan. Trials are open to the public, the SCF announced on Friday.

    Opening a track cycling academy was always on the cards but the federation was concerned about the availability of suitable venues.

    Bannan said: “Now that we have this opportunity in Jurong West, we felt the time is right to identify potential track riders for 2029, keeping in mind that we’re also hoping to have a velodrome by then.

    “It’s always been in our discussions but there’s no point waiting for the velodrome to be built (before we start). It has to start now and we have to get young kids excited about it now.”

    Clinics will also be held for children aged eight to 13 to build interest in the sport. All the sessions will be conducted by Bannan, national coaches or national athletes such as 2017 SEA Games men’s omnium champion Calvin Sim.

    The selected students will then be put on progressive structured programmes. These include opportunities to train and compete in Malaysia – which has velodromes in Nilai in Negeri Sembilan and Johor – to help riders develop further.

    The Australian added: “We want to build up a squad that’s able to compete in these competitions so we can help them evolve as track riders.

    “The main benefits would be skills and tactical development. The ideal number is 40 for the skills clinics and I’d like to think that, if they’ve made the effort to be interested and enjoy the sport, why wouldn’t we select all 40? It’s quantity over quality at the moment because quality evolves.”

    Sim noted that while the sport would lose many riders to other factors like national service, school or work, the academy would help with widening the talent pool.

    He also highlighted the safety aspect of track cycling compared to road cycling, as parents and schools would be more relaxed about kids picking up the former.

    He added: “Because they start young and learn the proper basics, it’s easier for them to progress and the progression rate is accelerated through the academy.

    “There’s proper guidance and coaching and having that structured programme from young will help them. They’ll also have current or former athletes who have been through the Singapore system to advise them.”

    [​IMG]
    Mr Calvin Sim also hopes to invite speakers from different aspects of sport such as nutrition to conduct workshops for the students. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CYCLING FEDERATION
    The formation of the academy was also supported by Sim’s Team Singapore Active Citizen Grant, which provides up to $20,000 for former or current national athletes to launch initiatives that use sport for a good cause.

    Besides promoting the clinics to riders on social media, Sim will also be advertising them to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds he conducts classes for.

    Sim, 33, has even started watching tutorials on YouTube on how to stitch videos on TikTok and consulting his younger teammates on how to attract more teenagers on social media.

    He said: “These youths are often misunderstood and they just want an avenue to express themselves. That’s why they do music, art or dance, and sport can be one of these forms of expressions as well.”

    Mentorship is another important aspect for him. Besides fellow cyclists, Sim also hopes to invite speakers from different sports or different aspects of sport, such as nutrition, to conduct workshops for the students.

    “Not everyone will make it professionally, so it’s about what values they take away – that’s more important. Hopefully, their time in the academy can give them good lessons for life, not just in sport.”

    MORE ON THIS TOPIC
    Cycling: Singapore federation plans to build new BMX track next year
    Singapore Cycling Federation launches women's academy to develop new talent
     
  10. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Explainer: What is tchoukball and how popular is this sport where Singapore women’s team is now World No. 1?
    [​IMG]Tchoukball Association of Singapore
    The Singapore women’s team competing at the Asia Pacific Tchoukball Championships in Malaysia in August 2022.

    Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok, and join our Telegram channel for the latest updates.
    • Singapore’s women tchoukball team is now ranked world No. 1, after it beat Chinese Taipei in the Asia Pacific Tchoukball Championships last year
    • TODAY looks at what the indoor team sport is about, how popular it is around the world and here, and what is in store for Singapore tchoukball going forward
    • Tchoukball can be traced to a Swiss biologist who wanted to "construct the perfect team game" while reducing injury
    [​IMG]
    BY
    NUR HIKMAH MD ALI
    Published January 31, 2023
    Updated January 31, 2023
    WhatsAppTelegramFacebookTwitterEmailLinkedIn
    SINGAPORE — Singapore’s women tchoukball team recently made history by becoming World No. 1, based on the latest ranking by the International Tchoukball Federation (FITB).

    The Jan 1 ranking saw Singapore overtake powerhouse Chinese Taipei, which has won the women's World Championships nine consecutive times since 1980.

    This came after the team beat their Chinese Taipei rivals at the Asia Pacific Tchoukball Championships held in August last year in Malaysia.

    TODAY looks at what the indoor team sport is about, how popular it is around the world and here, and what is in store for Singapore tchoukball going forward.

    WHAT IS TCHOUKBALL?
    FITB's website states that tchoukball's birth in the early 1970s can be traced to a Swiss biologist called Hermann Brandt who wanted to "construct the perfect team game whilst paying heed to his key concern of reducing injury".

    READ ALSO
    7 world records in 7 years: Powerlifting fraternity hopes to ride on stellar showings to grow sport further


    This is how it is played:
    • Each team consists of up to 12 players, but only seven are allowed on the playing court at any given time
    • One rebound frame or net is placed at each end of the court
    • Players score points for their teams by shooting the ball at the frame after a maximum of three passes
    • The ball must rebound to the field of play without being caught by a player from the other team
    • The team that scores the most points at the end of the allotted time wins
    • A match lasts for three periods of 15 minutes, with a maximum of five-minute intervals in between
    • No physical contact is allowed, and players can score goals on either side of the court
    • An unlimited number of player substitutions is allowed
    Mr Delane Lim, president of Tchoukball Association of Singapore, told TODAY that tchoukball is pronounced “chook-ball”, with the word “tchouk” taken from the sound that is produced when the ball hits the rebound net.

    HOW POPULAR IS THE SPORT GLOBALLY?
    Tchoukball is played in more than 80 countries, FITB said.

    It is not an Olympic sport.

    The world's top 10 women teams are from a mixed of territories from four continents: Asia (Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong), Africa (Cameroon), South America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay) and Europe (Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom).

    The Singapore men's team is ranked No. 3 in the world by FITB, while Chinese Taipei is No. 1.

    READ ALSO
    The Big Read: Pressures and temptations aplenty in sporting world, only a rare few can scale the peak and stay there


    The other countries in the top 10 men teams similarly come from the same four continents: Asia (the Philippines), Africa (Benin, Cameroon), South America (Uruguay, Brazil) and Europe (Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom).

    HOW DID IT GROW IN SINGAPORE?
    Mr Lim said that tchoukball was first introduced in Singapore by FITB.

    In 2006, Mr Chris Huang, the current FITB president who was then head promoter of sports at the federation, came to Singapore to promote tchoukball to a team of sports coaches, advocates and educators who eventually set up Tchoukball Association of Singapore in August 2008.

    The association promoted the sports to primary and secondary schools through the Sports Exposure Programme, a collaboration between Singapore Sports Council and the Ministry of Education.

    The programme provides schools with a S$10,000 dollar-to-dollar matching grant to set up sports clubs for pre-approved sports programmes.

    Right now, there are 63 primary schools, 56 secondary schools, and 18 post-secondary institutions in Singapore that offer tchoukball as a co-curricular activity (CCA), Mr Lim said.

    However, the number of tchoukball CCAs in primary and secondary schools has been declining in recent years as schools pay more attention to funding nationally recognised sports, and have shut down tchoukball clubs, Mr Lim added.

    He did not provide figures.

    The Tchoukball Association of Singapore said that some 400 players in 48 teams across various age categories took part in the Tchoukball Cup competition here last year.

    WHAT NEXT?
    The Tchoukball Association of Singapore is not a national sports association and is run by volunteers.

    At present, coaches at the association provide their services pro bono while national athletes fund their own costs to travel and compete in international games.

    The association also collects donations from parents of school-going players and players who are working adults, and pays the remaining balance of tournament fees.

    Mr Lim said that moving forward, the national tchoukball men's and women’s teams are eyeing the upcoming World Youth Championships in July that will be held in Singapore as well as the Tchoukball World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, in August.

    Both teams are focused on winning the title at the World Championships, and the association will raise money for the teams to travel to Prague since the association does not receive government funding, he added.

    “We hope that the sport continues to develop in Singapore and gain more recognition so that our athletes can have more exposure to national and international championships," he said.

    "We believe that tchoukball promotes youth development and fosters athletes with good discipline and character, and hope that more Singaporeans can have the opportunity to play tchoukball.”
     
  11. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    MOBILE LEGENDS: BANG BANG PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE
    MPL Singapore Returns For Fifth Season With Teams Eager to Prove Themselves
    MPL Singapore Returns For Fifth Season With Teams Eager to Prove Themselves (ign.com)

    Can RSG Singapore defend their title
    [​IMG]
    bySyazwan Bahri
    Posted Jan. 31, 2023, 4:29 p.m.

    The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Singapore returns for its fifth season this year with teams eager to prove themselves to be the best team in the country.

    The previous season of MPL SG had over 32,000 peak concurrent viewers, a league record. The on-ground attendance was also impressive, with over 3,000 supporters flocking to Our Tampines Hub over three days to cheer for their favourite teams in the Playoffs and Grand Finals.


    [​IMG]

    The return of a new season marks the beginning of the qualification rounds as teams may register beginning on February 1. The first qualifications will be held online from February 18 to 19, in a group stage style, with the top teams from each group competing in a double-elimination format. The top two teams will proceed to the MPL Singapore Regular Season.

    The MPL Singapore Regular Season will begin on March 11 and will last four weekends. The playoffs will kick off on April 14 to April 16 and will be played in a double elimination bracket.

    [​IMG]

    The Pro League is considered to be a stepping stone to bigger international tournaments such as the MLBB Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) and the M-Series World Championships.

    "MPL Singapore remains committed to our aim of enabling professional esports athletes to compete at the highest levels of sportsmanship. Given the right resources and support, we believe that our esports players can surpass other regional and international teams," said MOONTON Games Singapore esports lead Jaime Cruz.

    [​IMG]

    "We had an awesome run in Season 4, achieving a record-breaking PCV and a full house for our Playoffs," said Zenway managing director Lee Jian Ming. Zenway is a Singapore-based events management and broadcasting company that produces MPL Singapore.

    "Season 5 will expand on our fans' experiences, where we aim to continue enhancing the viewing experience online, while also improving the onsite fan experience to ensure accessibility and space for a larger audience.

    Lee said local esports athletes have a lot of passion and talent to offer, and that they would always look at ways to raise the level of MPL Singapore and its players.

    "One of the ways is to expose the teams to international events where they can benefit from the experience."

    If you have what it takes to win the league, register your team here.
     
  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    [​IMG]Yahoo Esports SEA
    MPL Singapore Season 5 to kick off in March 2023 with $100,000 prize pool
    The top teams in the league will also get the chance to represent Singapore in international competitions


    [​IMG]
    Kurt Lozano

    Senior Esports Producer
    Tue, 31 January 2023 at 11:12 pm SGT·2-min read

    [​IMG]
    Season 5 of the Mobile Legends Professional League in Singapore will kick off in March with its Regular Season, with the Playoffs to be held in mid-April. (Photo: MOONTON Games)

    The fifth season of the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Singapore will kick off on 11 March, featuring eight of the best Mobile Legends teams in Singapore battling for the lion's share of a S$100,000 prize pool and the chance to represent the republic on the international stage.

    MPL Singapore Season 5 will hold its Regular Season throughout March and early April while the subsequent Playoffs will be hosted in mid-April.

    The Regular Season will feature four weeks of competition. Week 1 will be from 11 to 12 March, Week 2 will be from 18 to 19 March, Week 3 will be from 25 to 26 March, and Week 4 will be on 1 April.

    In the Regular Season, each team will play against the seven other teams in a best-of-three series to earn points that will determine their league ranking as well as seeding for the Playoffs.

    The Playoffs will then take place from 14 t0 16 April and will follow a double-elimination format.

    All eight teams will qualify for the Playoffs, with the top four teams from the Regular Season getting seeded to the upper bracket while the bottom four will start from the lower bracket.

    The champions of MPL Singapore Season 5 will take home the grand prize of S$30,000.

    The participating teams in the league include RSG SG, Slate Esports, Evil, Revival, Stellark SG, and Team SMG SG.

    The last two spots will be filled through open qualifiers on 18 and 19 February.

    The top teams in MPL Singapore Season 5 will also get the chance to prove themselves against the best other countries have to offer in the various international tournaments Mobile Legends developer MOONTON Games has planned for 2023.

    These include the 2023 SEA Games in May, the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup 2023 in June, as well as the World Cyber Games and Snapdragon Pro Series Challenger, both taking place in July.

    A second round of regional leagues will then occur from August to October before the One Esports MPL Invitational in November.

    Finally, the 2023 Mobile Legends esports season will conclude with the M5 World Championship in the Philippines.

    For more esports news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooEsportsSEA and check out Yahoo Esports Southeast Asia’s Facebook page and Twitter, as well as our Gaming channel on YouTube.
     
  13. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    They pay for their own jerseys and their coaches are volunteers. Meet the world No 1 women's tchoukball team
    Singapore women’s national tchoukball team is now the world's best. The team tells CNA how it got there, despite limited resources.

    [​IMG]
    A member of the Singapore national women's tchoukball team in action on Feb 1, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)

    [​IMG]
    Matthew Mohan
    @MatthewMohanCNA
    03 Feb 2023 06:00AM(Updated: 04 Feb 2023 10:08AM)

    SINGAPORE: In a secondary school hall on a cool Wednesday evening, the world No 1 women's tchoukball team is being put through the paces.

    Half an hour before training begins, the chatter of voices echoes off the walls. Court shoes are laced up, knee guards are slipped on, warm-ups are under way.

    Given that they only have two venues islandwide where they can train for free, court time is limited and valuable. Every minute counts.

    “Players know that with every time we are on court, we have to maximise it,” team captain Irene Tan told CNA. “We share the court space with eight different squads, so there has to be a schedule with the different timings.”

    But this is nothing new. This is a team and a sport used to making the most of what little they have.

    "The heart and the passion are definitely very important," said Tan's team-mate Angie Ng. "The little resources have helped us to not take things for granted. We cherish every chance we are given."

    Their coaches are volunteers, the athletes pay for their own jerseys as well as to play at tournaments abroad, and the association members fork out their own money to defray costs.

    Sponsorship helps keep things going, some take on ad-hoc coaching gigs or even repair equipment in their leisure time in order to raise funds, and parents of school-going players also chip in to help.

    Run by volunteers, the Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) is not a national sports association. It receives no government funding.

    Yet on Jan 1, the women’s national team became world No 1 for the first time, after pipping Chinese Taipei to the top spot in the International Tchoukball Federation’s world rankings. Switzerland are currently third.

    This follows their victory over Chinese Taipei in the 9th Asia Pacific Tchoukball Championships in August last year.

    “After that victory last year, the team worked hard and constantly did not let their guard down,” said Tan. “I’m still in disbelief (at being number one).”

    Their male counterparts are third in the world after Chinese Taipei and Italy.

    “The secret ingredient is our passion for the sport," Tan said. "Without the help of the association, the coaches and (TBAS president) Delane’s efforts, it wouldn’t have been possible (for us) to get where we are today.

    “We have developed a mindset to work with what we have, or even find other resources within our means to make things work for us."

    [​IMG]
    Tchoukball involves two teams of seven players competing for points by rebounding a ball off an inclined frame. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)

    WHAT IS TCHOUKBALL?
    Created by Swiss biologist Hermann Brandt more than five decades ago, tchoukball’s name came from the sound made by the ball rebounding from an inclined frame.

    Played indoors, tchoukball involves two teams of seven players competing for points by rebounding a ball off an inclined frame. In front of each frame is a semi-circle with a 3-metre radius, marking the “forbidden zone” where players cannot enter.

    In order to score a point, the ball must be thrown, hit the frame and bounce outside the “forbidden zone” without being caught by the defending team. However, the defending team scores a point if the ball bounces within the “forbidden zone” or if their opponents shoot and miss the frame. If the defending team catches the ball after it bounces off the frame, they can go on the attack.

    Teams can attack both sides of the court, and defenders are not allowed to intercept the passes of the attacking team. Physical contact is not allowed.

    [​IMG]
    Singapore tchoukball players during a training session at Bendeemer Secondary School. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
     
  14. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Tchoukball is a game of “threes” – the player with the ball can take a maximum of three steps, the player is not allowed to hold the ball for more than three seconds, and teams cannot pass the ball more than three times before taking a shot.

    Games last for three periods of 15 minutes, with a maximum of 5 minutes' interval between periods.

    The players and association members are "driven by passion", and this has helped them think of creative ways to sustain the team, said TBAS president Delane Lim.

    “Sometimes, limited resources are good because it forces us to think about different ways to train and improvise with our training.”

    With fewer resources also come fewer expectations, he said.

    “Because there is no funding, whether we win or lose in the court, nobody can fault us. The fact that we are performing shows that our formula is working, but we are hoping that we can better the formula.”

    To raise the profile of the game, the association has had to think outside the box over the years. For instance, it has held competitions in schools and organised international competitions on home soil.

    “We try to host international competitions in Singapore so our athletes do not have to (travel). It gives more opportunities … for them to train locally,” Mr Lim said.

    [​IMG]
    Games last for three periods of 15 minutes, with a maximum of 5 minutes' interval between periods. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)

    Players also get involved. Tan currently also helps as one of the coaches for the youth teams.

    “At the end of the day, I hope that giving back to the association and the youth that are coming up will help to grow this sport and (they will) continue to fly Singapore in the near future when I retire,” she explained.

    REMAINING AT THE TOP
    Looking ahead, the women’s team will seek to remain top of the pile at the Tchoukball World Championships in Prague in August.

    “(Being top in the world) is something that we constantly strived for ... But being able to achieve this goal right now doesn’t mean we get complacent,” said Tan.

    “It’s another step for us to really push ourselves further and remain at the top.”

    With the team's success, Mr Lim hopes that the sport will be eventually included in the National School Games.

    “If tchoukball is not part of the National School Games then our talent pipeline will certainly be affected. And when the talent pipeline is affected, then we have to rely on our existing teams to sustain (things),” he said.

    He is also lobbying for tchoukball to be a demonstration sport at the 2027 SEA Games in Malaysia, before becoming a medal sport at the next edition of the Games in Singapore.

    Having more resources will also allow the national teams to take their performance to the next level, he emphasised. This could be in the form of subsidies for players who may not be able to afford to travel overseas.

    [​IMG]
    Singapore women's national tchoukball team training on Feb 1, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)

    Speaking in Parliament in 2017, then Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said that for national sports associations to qualify for funding, they have to be registered as a society and a charity, and meet SportSG’s requirements.

    Such associations have to maintain high standards of governance, and develop "multi-year plans with key deliverables aligned with SportSG's objectives", Ms Fu said.

    Given that TBAS is a national federation for the sport and not a national sports association, CNA has contacted SportSG for clarification on the funding criteria and whether there are plans to fund the national tchoukball teams.

    Increased funding would allow the teams to get new venues for training sessions, look into an exchange programme with rivals Chinese Taipei as well as invest in new technology, said Mr Lim.

    "Over the years, we are quite thankful that we have supportive parents, supportive partners to come on board who believe in our cause and believe in the goal for tchoukball ... We are now a victim of our own success because in order for us to keep the sport at this elite level, the mode of operation we are currently in no longer becomes sustainable," the TBAS president said.

    "So we need to look at a model or ecosystem that is more sustainable to ensure that the sport continues to perform at the elite level."


    Source: CNA/mt(cy)
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Singapore to host World Aquatics Championships in 2025
    [​IMG]AFP
    Swimmers competing at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest on June 21, 2022.

    Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok, and join our Telegram channel for the latest updates.
    Published February 9, 2023
    Updated February 9, 2023
    WhatsAppTelegramFacebookTwitterEmailLinkedIn
    SINGAPORE — Singapore will host the World Aquatics Championships in 2025, making it the first Southeast Asian country to do so, the World Aquatics governing body announced on Thursday (Feb 9).

    World Aquatics was formerly known as the International Swimming Federation or FINA before it was renamed last month.

    The World Aquatics Championships is a premier biennial event bringing together the six sports of swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving.

    Dates are yet to be confirmed, according to a joint press release by World Aquatics, Sport Singapore, the Singapore Swimming Association and Singapore Tourism Board.

    More than 2,500 athletes representing 209 countries are expected to participate.

    The championships will take place at venues including the Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore Indoor Stadium and OCBC Aquatic Centre, which houses two 50m pools and a diving facility.

    World Aquatics President Husain Musallam said the hosting of the 2025 event was in "good hands".

    “Singapore has everything we hope to share with our athletes: World-class facilities, proven experience of hosting events of the highest quality and a comprehensive approach to aquatic sports that runs from elite level to the community."

    Singapore has previously hosted World Cups in five of the six aquatics sports, and was also the venue for the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in 2015.

    The local aquatic community looks forward to the opportunities to come from having the world's best gather in Singapore, said Singapore Swimming Association President Mark Chay.

    The Singapore Tourism Board’s chief executive Keith Tan said Singapore's selection as host reinforces its position as a leading sports and lifestyle destination in the region.

    The 2025 edition of championships were originally awarded to the Russian city of Kazan, in an announcement back in 2019.

    But early last year, World Aquatics — then called FINA — decided to remove a number of aquatics events scheduled for Russia, including the December short-course swimming world championships due to be hosted by Kazan as well.

    FINA also banned Russian athletes and officials from competing at the world championships, citing its "strongest condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine". CNA
     
  16. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Zeng Jian earns top STTA award after breakout medal-winning year
    National women's paddler clinched two golds at Commonwealth Games and four medals at SEA Games
    Zeng Jian earns top STTA award after breakout year. (yahoo.com)
    [​IMG]
    Chia Han Keong

    ·Editor
    Wed, February 8, 2023 at 11:00 PM GMT+8·2 min read

    [​IMG]
    Winners at the STTA Annual Awards: (from left) Zhou Jingyi, Zeng Jian and Loy Ming Ying. (PHOTO: STTA)

    SINGAPORE — With veteran paddlers Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu either mulling retirement or already retired, the Singapore woman's table tennis team is undergoing a period of transition.

    As a new generation of young talents try to take over the mantle from Feng and Yu, the brightest spark has come from Zeng Jian, who was awarded the Player of the Year for 2022 by the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) on Wednesday (8 February).

    The 26-year-old has had a breakout year, winning two golds (women's team and women's doubles), one silver and one bronze at last year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She also clinched three silvers and one bronze at the SEA Games in Hanoi.

    "Last year was a challenging year for me, as I had to deal with the pressure of getting good results for the national team in the major Games," Zeng told Yahoo News Singapore after receiving her honour at the STTA Annual Awards ceremony at One Farrer Hotel.

    "Fortunately, I had a lot of help and encouragement from my coaches and teammates, and managed to earn a few medals for Singapore. This year, there will be more important competitions, and hopefully I can continue to improve myself and help the team towards better results."

    The Young Player of the Year award went to Zhou Jingyi, who was the youngest member of the women's national team that reached the quarter-finals of the World Table Tennis Championships in Chengdu last year. The 17-year-old also helped the team clinched a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

    The STTA Hopes Player of the Year Award - given to the best-performing young paddler aged 13 and below - went to 12-year-old Loy Ming Ying, who clinched a gold, a silver and a bronze on her debut at the Southeast Asia Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships.

    National men's team coach Gao Ning earned the Coach of the Year honours, while men's paddler Clarence Chew and women's team coach Jing Junhong were also given special awards.
     
  17. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Giving up is not an option for Singapore Sports School award winners
    [​IMG]
    Silat exponent Aniq 'Asri Yazid (left) and swimmer Maximillian Ang won the Singapore Sports School’s Moo Soon Chong outstanding student-athlete of the year awards. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
    Ervin Ang
    UPDATED
    11 HOURS AGO

    SINGAPORE – Aniq ’Asri Yazid, 17, had the odds stacked against him in the World Pencak Silat Championships (Class B, 50-55kg) final in Melaka in July 2022.

    Not only was he nursing a knee injury, but his opponent, Malaysia’s Khairi Adib Azhar, was also cheered by loud and passionate supporters.

    Despite those obstacles, Aniq secured an upset win over the reigning SEA Games champion.

    He said: “The injury was really painful but I took my coach’s advice to keep pushing.

    “The crowd went mad and starting giving me negative comments and jeered at me. But I just blocked my ears and stayed focused.”

    He is already eyeing more silverware. After an unsuccessful 2021 SEA Games debut, Aniq is gunning for gold at May’s edition in Cambodia. He said: “Missing out on a medal at the last SEA Games was a big disappointment.

    “This time, my opponents will be wary of me as I’m the world champion, so it’s not going to be easy. I definitely want to bring a gold medal back for Singapore.”

    On Tuesday, he was named the Singapore Sports School’s Moo Soon Chong outstanding student-athlete of the year (secondary), for those who excel in sports and studies while displaying exemplary conduct.

    Swimmer Maximillian Ang received the same award under the post-secondary category from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.

    At the 2021 Hanoi SEA Games, Ang became the first Singaporean male to win the 200m breaststroke gold. He also broke the national record in the 100m breast where he took silver. He collected five medals (two golds, one silver, two bronzes) in total.

    Success did not come easy though Ang, 21, trained twice a day while pursuing his diploma in sport and leisure management. While most of his friends were asleep, he was in the pool doing laps at 5.45am.

    He said: “I’m not a morning person. Every time I wake up at five in the morning I question myself ‘Why am I doing this?’.

    “It’s not a very nice feeling and sometimes I will feel like giving up... but I always remind myself that to be the best, I have to do things other people will not do.”

    He competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and clocked personal bests in the 50m and 100m breast. In the 100m heats, he raced alongside his idol Adam Peaty, Britain’s Olympic champion.

    Ang said: “Racing with the world’s best was an eye-opener for me. I’m really excited because I’ll be competing with them again in the future.”

    Aside from Ang and Aniq, Tuesday’s other winners were Nur Shaqira Sheik Alau’ddin (silat), Wong Xin Ru (table tennis) – for the Moo Soon Chong award – while Fernel Tan (shooting) and Nur Insyirah Khan (badminton) received the Annabel Pennefather Excellence award.

    Chan Jun Kai (wushu) and Joel Chiu (fencing) took the Tan Howe Liang Excellence award.
     
  18. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Athletics: Tia Rozario breaks national indoor triple jump record
    [​IMG]
    Singaporean Tia Louise Rozario at the 16th Yale Giegengack Invitational meet at Yale University. She won with a leap of 12.67m. PHOTO: KATE JOYCE
    Su Thet Hnin San
    UPDATED
    14 MINS AGO

    SINGAPORE – Three months before the 2023 SEA Games, Singaporean Tia Louise Rozario received a confidence boost in her attempt to qualify for the biennial event as she rewrote her own indoor triple jump national record.

    Rozario, 22, won the 16th Yale Giegengack Invitational at Yale University last Sunday with her 12.67m attempt, which was followed by Princeton University teammate Alexandra Kelly (12.57m) and Brown University’s Lauren Yeboah-Kodie (12.54m).

    Rozario had a total of six jumps and was happy with her flying start. She leapt 12.57m on her first attempt, 3cm further than her previous best.

    She fouled the second and third jump but, by the fourth, everything had fallen into place.

    “Going into the fourth jump, I didn’t really have anything to lose,” said Rozario, in a telephone interview from New Jersey.

    “There was no more pressure... and I was able to execute my technique really well.”

    She cleared 12.67m, well over the 12.54m she had set at the February 2022 Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track & Field Championships. Rozario also holds the outdoor national record of 12.54m.

    During the 2022 Ivy League Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May, she leapt 12.74m but it was not registered as a record due to the assisting wind (+3.6m/sec) being too strong.

    The qualifying distance for the May 5-17 SEA Games in Cambodia is 13.45m – the bronze medal mark from the previous Games – but Rozario is not discouraged by the gulf in standards.

    Rozario, who is currently in her senior year studying neuroscience at Princeton, said her immediate goal is to record a new personal best at the 2023 Ivy League Indoor Track & Field Championships on Feb 25-26 at Dartmouth College.

    “The ultimate goal for this year would just be to hit 13 metres,” she said.

    “That’s going to be a big milestone and it’s definitely possible this year. I feel like when I focus on getting a good distance, then the results will follow.”
     
  19. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    [​IMG]Yahoo News Singapore
    WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Sports happenings in Singapore (20-26 Feb)
    SportSG chief execs honoured, Hangzhou Fun Run at Sports Hub, invites for HSBC Women's World Championships

    [​IMG]
    Chia Han Keong

    ·Editor
    Mon, 27 February 2023 at 8:33 am SGT·3-min read


    [​IMG]
    Outgoing SportSG chief executive Lim Teck Yin (left) and deputy chief executive Chiang Hock Woon received tokens of appreciation from MCCY Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua. (PHOTO: Dyan Tjhia/SportSG)

    SINGAPORE — Here is a round-up of sports events and developments in Singapore in the past week (20 to 26 February):

    Outgoing SportSG chief executives honoured
    Outgoing Sport Singapore chief executive Lim Teck Yin and his deputy Chiang Hock Woon were honoured in a farewell dinner on Monday (20 February) at the Sports Hub.

    The event was organised by several national sports associations, and was graced by Eric Chua, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, who gave out tokens of appreciation to both Lim and Chiang.

    During Lim's 12-year tenure, he oversaw the hosting of the 2015 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games, and spearheaded key sports initiatives such as ActiveSG, the Sport Excellence Scholarship and the Unleash the Roar! football project.

    Lim will officially step down on 1 April, and taking over him will be Alan Goh, deputy secretary (development and regulation) at Ministry of Communication and Information.

    [​IMG]
    SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin flagging off the Hangzhou Fun Run at the Singapore Sports Hub. (PHOTO: Kong Chong Yew/SNOC)
    Asiad-bound athletes join in Hangzhou Fun Run
    More than 150 Asian Games-bound athletes joined the community on a run at the Singapore Sports Hub in the Singapore edition of the Hangzhou Fun Run, organised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Saturday (25 February).

    Since 2004, the OCA has been organising a series of fun runs in different Asian cities to promote the Asian Games prior to the upcoming edition. Besides Singapore, the Hangzhou Fun Run has also visited communities in Uzbekistan, Thailand, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and will continue to Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Qatar.

    Participants from the ActiveSG Academies, Team Nila and community walking groups joined Team Singapore athletes from 12 sports in a 3km run, flagged off by SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin.

    The crowd was also introduced to Team Singapore’s chefs de mission for the Hangzhou Asian Games. Basketball Association of Singapore president Koh Koon Teck will lead the contingent, and will be assisted by former athletes Tao Li and Koh Seng Leong.

    Singapore is set to send its largest contingent to the Asiad, with 382 athletes selected in 29 sports by the SNOC at the selection meeting last year. The 19th Asian Games is scheduled to take place from 23 September to 8 October in Hangzhou.

    Four invite beneficiaries for HSBC Women's World C'ship
    Invites have been announced for the 2023 HSBC Women’s World Championship ahead of the tournament from 2 to 5 March at Sentosa Golf Club.

    The invite beneficiaries are: Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan, a two-time Olympian and winner of the 2016 Hong Kong Ladies Open; China's Yu Liu, ranked world No.165; Japan’s Mao Saigo, world ranked No.31; and China's Shi Yuting, who won her first JLPGA title at the Golf5 event in September.

    The four Asian rising talents will join Singapore’s Amanda Tan, who won the national qualifying tournament to earn her spot at the Women's World Championship for the fifth time.

    The top five women's golfers in the world - Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Minjee Lee, Atthaya Thitikul and defending champion Jin Young Ko - lead the line-up, which includes 18 of the world’s top 20 ranked players.
     
  20. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2002
    Messages:
    17,757
    Likes Received:
    1,078
    Occupation:
    Semi-Retired
    Location:
    Singapore Also Can
    Joseph Schooling Pulls out of Singapore Squad for SEA Games
    Joseph Schooling Pulls out of Singapore Squad for SEA Games (swimmingworldmagazine.com)

    [​IMG]
    Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

    [​IMG]
    by MATTHEW DE GEORGE - SENIOR WRITER
    05 March 2023, 07:03am

    Joseph Schooling Pulls out of Singapore Squad for SEA Games

    Joseph Schooling has pulled out of Singapore’s squad for the SEA Games in May in Cambodia, the Olympic gold medalist citing a lack of preparation and form.

    He released a statement this week that read, “After careful consideration with my team, I have decided to pull out of the SEA Games. This was not an easy decision, but I am currently not at the level at which I hold myself to perform. Ultimately, my country comes first before individual accolades.”

    The 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the men’s 100 butterfly has had a stop-start six years since in the pool. The 27-year-old has been reticent to commit to pursuing the Paris Olympics in 2024, and as of last year, he was positioning the regional competition as a bellwether for what may lie ahead.

    But plans have changed for the owner of 29 gold and 34 total medals at the Southeast Asian Games, dating to the 2011 meet. That includes five straight golds in his signature event in the biennial meet.

    The former Texas Longhorn has struggled in the last two years. He was a non-factor at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, unable to make semifinals in either the 100 fly or 100 freestyle. Last year, he and other swimmers were cited for cannabis use. Those legal issues, in a country where drug use is harshly sanctioned, hampered the leaves he has gotten from compulsory military service to train and compete.

    Schooling is one of the most decorated Asian swimmers ever. A 12-time NCAA champion and 17-time medalist at the University of Texas, he famously disrupted Michael Phelps’ quest for gold in the 100 fly in his comeback from retirement. It was the first gold medal ever won by Singapore. He was twice a bronze medalist in the 100 fly at the World Championships and has three gold and seven total medals at the Rio Games plus a silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
     

Share This Page