Singapore Sports Scene

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

  1. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Star of the Month: Former badminton player Daryl Ho proves to be a smash hit at ultimate Frisbee

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    July's ST Star of the Month winner Daryl Ho receiving his award from Jennifer See (left), managing director F&N Foods Pte Ltd, and Lee Yulin, ST sports editor. The 1.87m standout helped Singapore edge out Latvia 15-12 in the bronze play-off to earn a historic medal in the World U-24 Ultimate Championships. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

    Published
    Aug 17, 2019, 5:00 am SGT

    He is their outstanding performer with 21 goals and 19 assists in 11 matches

    Jeremy Lim

    While he was the star of the local ultimate frisbee scene, Daryl Ho found himself struggling in warm-up matches ahead of the World Under-24 Ultimate Championships in Heidelberg, Germany last month.

    It was his first international foray since he started playing five years ago and the Singapore mixed team were routed 15-2 rout by the United States, a world powerhouse.

    "We were making a lot of mistakes and struggled to string our passes together," Ho said. "They were taller, bigger and stronger than us. The strong wind and temperature (19 deg C) were nothing like we were used to playing in."

    The 23-year-old asked his coach for advice to fix his state of mind after making multiple mistakes.

    Said coach Victor Tan: "We spoke about helping him replicate his form. He has the entire skill set and I just had to remind him before the game to do the small things right and reassure him from the sidelines. Slowly, he became more confident and was throwing long passes to his teammates."

    Singapore went on to win their next three warm-up games.

    During the world meet, the team topped their group unbeaten, beat Canada 15-11 in the quarter-finals but lost 15-6 to the US in the last four. In the bronze play-off, Singapore edged out Latvia 15-12 to claim a historic bronze medal.

    FROM ANGER TO PRIDE

    He switched to frisbee without my knowledge and I was very angry initially. But he has reached this level and is recognised for doing well internationally, so I am very proud of him.

    JIMMY HO, Daryl's father, on his son switching from badminton to frisbee.

    Ho was the team's top performer with 21 goals and 19 assists from 11 games to be ranked the seventh best player in the category.

    For his feat, he was named The Straits Times' Star of the Month for July yesterday. The award is an extension of ST's Athlete of the Year prize, which was launched in 2008. Both are backed by F&N's 100Plus.

    Said ST sports editor Lee Yulin: "This is the first time we have recognised an ultimate frisbee athlete for his achievements. And Daryl could not be a more deserving candidate, with his performance in Germany critical to Singapore's success."

    This success has also won his father over. Growing up, Ho was a badminton player with hopes of playing for Singapore. He switched to frisbee after he failed to represent Temasek Polytechnic in the inter-varsity competition.

    "I wanted to try a team sport and frisbee seemed like something my height might give me an advantage in," said the 1.87m Ho.

    His father Jimmy added: "I've spent a lot on money on Daryl for badminton and he has been playing for about nine years since he was in primary school.

    "He switched to frisbee without my knowledge and I was very angry initially. But he has reached this level and is recognised for doing well internationally, so I am very proud of him."

    Having tasted the rewards of international success, Ho is aiming further. The business management student is hopeful of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) confirming Singapore's request to participate in the 2020 World Ultimate & Guts Championships in Leeuwarden, Netherlands.

    Edmond Leong, president of the Ultimate Players Association (Singapore) added: "Daryl's determination and hard work have seen him play a pivotal role in the U-24 national team.

    "We hope to see him continue scaling new heights with his teammates beyond the U-24 category in the upcoming world championships."
     
  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Jonathan Tan breaks Joseph Schooling’s 50m free mark

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    Jonathan Tan. TNP FILE PHOTO
    Aug 23, 2019 06:00 am

    Singapore swimmer Jonathan Tan, 17, broke his first senior national record in the men's 50m freestyle by clocking 22.46sec at the heats of the Fina World Junior Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.

    In the process, he eclipsed the previous record of 22.47 set by Joseph Schooling en route to winning gold at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

    Before that, the 50m freestyle record was held for 33 years by local legend Ang Peng Siong.

    He had clocked 22.69 at the 1982 US Swimming Championships.
     
  3. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Dragonboat: Singapore's women paddlers clinch historic bronze medal at World Championships
    https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/...-historic-bronze-medal-at-world-championships

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    The result came as a pleasant surprise for the team as they had set themselves a target of qualifying for the grand finals and finishing in the top six.PHOTO: INTERNATIONAL DRAGON BOAT FEDERATION

    Published
    Aug 27, 2019, 3:27 pm SGT

    Kimberly Kwek

    SINGAPORE - It was a historic weekend for Singapore's women's dragonboat team who clinched their first-ever medal at the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.


    They were third in the premier women's 200-metre event last Saturday (Aug 24). The championships were organised by the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF).


    The result came as a pleasant surprise for the team as they had set themselves a target of qualifying for the grand finals and finishing in the top six.

    Their time of 55.464 seconds put them behind Thailand (52.105) and China (52.217).

    High performance manager Chia Yi Liang said: "This result gave the team a new lease of faith and belief. It validated the current training plans and showed us that we are heading in the right direction."

    With this result, the team are hoping to get the nod from the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) to compete at the Nov 30-Dec 11 SEA Games in the women's four-crew small boat event.

    The Singapore Dragon Boat Association (SDBA) had sent an appeal to the SNOC in hopes that the men's 12-crew and four-crew racing and mixed racing teams will be included in the Games in the Philippines.

    SDBA general manager Raizal Abdol Jalil said: "It is every national athlete's dream to represent our nation in every competition possible, especially Olympic-standard multi-sport events.

    "The SEA Games is a regional multi-sport event, which is a mere two levels down from the Olympics, where dragon boat is not featured.

    "The culture and history of dragon boat or traditional dragon boat in the South-east Asian region means that the strongest teams are right on our doorstep, so the challenge posed by SEA Games is great."

    The Junior A team, represented by National Junior College, also shone in Thailand, bringing home three medals from their events. They stunned hosts Thailand to clinch the gold medal in the Junior A women small boat 200m and added two silver medals to their haul in the 2,000m last Wednesday and 500m events.
     
  4. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Olympics: Former Olympian Ben Tan to lead Team Singapore at 2020 Tokyo Games

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    Former sailor and Olympian Ben Tan, who competed at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.PHOTO: ST FILE

    Published
    Aug 28, 2019, 2:22 pm SGT

    SINGAPORE - The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) has named former sailor and Olympian Ben Tan to lead the Republic's contingent at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

    Tan, a gold medallist in sailing at the SEA Games and Asian Games, competed in the Laser event at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

    The sports medicine specialist was Team Singapore's sports physician at the 2002 and 1998 Asian Games, and the 2001 and 1999 SEA Games in his capacity as the Singapore Sports Council's medical officer from 1996-2003.

    "I will, of course, strive to fill my role the best that I can and hope that my experience as an Olympian, sports physician and administrator will be of value. Team Singapore has always strived to field deserving athletes and officials of calibre, and I look forward to working with the entire team for a fruitful outing in Tokyo."

    Said Chris Chan, Secretary-General of the SNOC: "Dr Ben Tan is no stranger to the sport fraternity in Singapore. His extensive experience as an athlete and sports physician will add tremendous value to the team."

    The Tokyo Olympics will be held in Japan from July 24-Aug 9, 2020.
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore speed skater Trevor Tan wins gold in Asian Open junior competition

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    Staff Writer, Singapore
    Editorial Team
    Yahoo News Singapore28 August 2019


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    (SCREENSHOT: Singapore speed skater Trevor Tan after winning the 2019 Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy 1000m Junior B Men's Category/Team Singapore Facebook)

    SINGAPORE — Singapore speed skater Trevor Tan on Wednesday (28 August) won a gold medal in the 2019 Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy 1000m Junior B Men's Category in Kunming, China.

    The 16-year-old defeated skating powerhouses China and South Korea in the race. Announcing the victory, Team Singapore posted a video of the race on its Facebook page.

    Since January this year, the Singapore Sports School student has been training at the Goyang Club in Gyeonggi, South Korea, in a bid to qualify for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

    He is taking a gap year to train alongside top South Korean speed skaters, according to media reports.

    Trevor is the latest success among the small but growing Singapore ice skating community in recent years.

    In 2017, then 18-year-old Cheyenne Goh became the Republic’s first female short track speed skater to compete at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

    She subsequently earned a bronze and two silver medals at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, the first time winter sports such as figure skating, short track speed skating and ice hockey are introduced into the biennial Games.

    Lucas Ng – who was the first Singaporean to compete at a major winter sport event at the 2011 Asian Winter Games – also clinched two short track speed skating silvers at the 2017 SEA Games.

    In figure skating, Yu Shuran and Chloe Ing won a gold and a silver respectively for Singapore at the 2017 SEA Games.
     
  6. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Cherie Tan wins Masters title at World Bowling Women’s Championships


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    Cherie Tan with her gold medal and her team members. (Photo: Singapore Bowling Federation)

    31 Aug 2019 12:11PM (Updated: 31 Aug 2019 01:10PM)

    SINGAPORE: Local bowler Cherie Tan emerged top in the Masters final at the World Bowling Women’s Championships in Las Vegas on Friday (Aug 30).

    Tan beat Colombia’s Maria Rodriguez 203-201, 258-217 in the finals of the event, becoming only the second Singaporean gold medallist in the competition after Shayna Ng had won the All Events title in 2015.

    "I felt that I bowled well the entire tournament and I fell short on singles and all-events. Coming up for this world champs, the main goal of the team was to win the team gold and we fell short of that as well. So this medal is not only for Singapore, it’s for the team," she said.

    "I’m really really happy to finally win the gold! Especially since I've been coming in so close (2015, 2017 and 2019) and never really attained it."

    Earlier in the day, Tan beat American Danielle McEwan in their semi-finals clash. The match went the distance, with Tan winning 2-1 (165-212, 236-184, 244-213).

    Team Singapore has a contingent of six bowlers at the tournament, with Cherie and her sister Daphne Tan, Ng, New Hui Fen, Bernice Lim and Charlene Lim.

    The Masters final is the final event of the tournament which began on Aug 22.


    Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/bowling-cherie-tan-wins-masters-title-women-11859774
     

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  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    From fencing to sambo: Nazri Sutari's unique journey to the SEA Games
    https://sg.news.yahoo.com/from-fenc...nique-journey-to-the-sea-games-021352618.html

    Chia Han Keong
    Editor
    Yahoo News Singapore
    4 September 2019


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    Nazri Sutari will be representing Singapore in the martial art of sambo at the 2019 SEA Games in Manila. (PHOTO: Zainal Yahya/Yahoo News Singapore)

    SINGAPORE — He thought he would never get the chance to represent Singapore at the SEA Games, after national service disrupted his burgeoning fencing career.

    Yet Nazri Sutari will be fulfilling his long-time ambition when he heads to Manila for the upcoming SEA Games in December, albeit in a completely different sport.

    The 29-year-old is among nine athletes selected by the Singapore National Olympic Council to take part in the obscure sport of sambo – a martial art developed by the Soviet Union army in the 1920s to improve hand-to-hand combat abilities of its servicemen.

    This is the first time the sport is being competed at SEA Games, and Nazri is grateful that his unique sporting journey – from fencing to mixed martial arts (MMA) and then to sambo – has finally brought him to biennial regional sports extravaganza.

    I’m still like pinching myself and wondering, ‘Sure or not?’ ” he told Yahoo News Singapore with a laugh during an interview at Impact MMA gym, where he trains and works as a trainer.

    “All these years that I’ve kind of given up on my dream of going to the SEA Games, and suddenly I am given this chance. I still feel a little sceptical whether this is happening or not, and I guess I’ll find out when I reach Manila and compete.

    “And when I’m there, I want the gold medal, for sure.”

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    Nazri Sutari began his sporting life as a sabre fencer back in his secondary school days. (PHOTO: Zainal Yahya/Yahoo News Singapore)

    A once-burgeoning fencing career
    Making the SEA Games has always been a part of Nazri’s sporting ambition, ever since he picked up sabre fencing when he was 13 years old.

    Back then, he was also dabbling in his secondary school’s drama club and choir, but eventually preferred the sense of achievement he got in individual sports such as fencing.

    “Whether I win or I lose, I’m accountable for everything, and that’s what drives me to keep improving in my sport,” he said.

    “My dream was to make it all the way to the Olympics, but of course I had to take it step by step, and SEA Games was an important target to aim for.”

    Such ambition fuelled his passion for fencing and, by the time he turned 17, he was able to make the national fencing team. Eventually in 2010, he represented Singapore at the Southeast Asia Fencing Championships.

    However, national service ensued, and Nazri lost all his fencing rankings points during the two years of inactivity. With younger fencers jostling their way into the fencing squad, it was an uphill task for him to regain his place in the national team after NS.

    Fencing background gives an edge in MMA fighting
    By then, he had already started to pick up various forms of martial arts such as muay thai and MMA with renowned trainer Bruce Loh. And he realised that his fencing background was actually beneficial to his new sport.

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    Nazri Sutari discovered that his fencing background gave him an edge in martial arts fighting. (PHOTO: Zainal Yahya/Yahoo News Singapore)

    “I found out quickly that when I’m on the offensive, my timing and my distance judging is a lot sharper than other fighters, and that is due to my fencing training. I was able to land punches more successfully than others,” he said.

    “The major difference is that I had to sustain my offence longer in MMA, whereas in fencing it was more like short bursts of offence.”

    With his newfound sporting interest, Nazri threw himself into MMA, and participated actively in fight events in Singapore and Malaysia, such as the Malaysian Invasion MMA fight tournaments for two seasons in 2015 and 2016.

    Hopes rise after sambo inclusion
    Nonetheless, with MMA not being chosen as part of the SEA Games competition, Nazri’s hopes of representing Singapore seemed to be fading fast – until early this year, when the organisers for this year’s SEA Games included sambo.

    “My wrestling coach Sulaiman Yusof was trained in sambo, and so we dabbled in a bit of the sport during our training,” he said.

    “Then earlier this year, about four weeks before the sambo qualifiers for the SEA Game, the Wrestling Federation of Singapore invited me and my Impact colleagues to take part in the event. And if we managed to medal in the qualifiers, we would be guaranteed a place in the SEA Games. And I thought, ‘Finally!’

    “And, even though I fought in the heavyweight division (82kg) with a height disadvantage at 1.67m, I managed to get a silver medal at the qualifiers and make the squad.”

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    Nazri Sutari hopes to win a gold medal for Singapore in the martial art of sambo at the 2019 SEA Games in Manila. (PHOTO: Zainal Yahya/Yahoo News Singapore)

    Now that he has earned a SEA Games spot, he is able to look back at his sporting journey and be grateful of all the guidance and support he received along the way.

    “Whether it is fencing or MMA or sambo, the important life lesson I’ve learnt is that your cannot be selfish,” Nazri said.

    “You have to give back to your training mates, even spar with less experienced ones, and support everyone so that they will also support you. Fighting is a lonely sport once you enter the ring, so you need to rely on one another outside the ring.”
     
  8. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Jonathan Chan becomes first Singaporean diver to qualify for Olympics

    Published09 September, 2019
    Updated 09 September, 2019

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    SINGAPORE — Local diver Jonathan Chan has become the first ever Singaporean diver to qualify for the Olympics after he won the Men's 10m Platform final at the Asian Diving Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (Sept 8).

    Chan beat China's Wang Zewei and North Korea's Ri Kwon Hyok to claim the gold medal at the Bukit Jalil National Aquatic Centre in Malaysia, scoring an overall total of 407.90.

    Chan is also the first Singaporean to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next year.

    The 22-year-old had previously competed at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, and finished with two silvers as well as two bronzes at the 2017 Sea Games.

    In a statement on Sunday, Chan said he was "speechless and still trying to let the reality sink in".

    "I hope that I will be the first of many more divers to qualify. And to inspire my teammates to work towards qualification as well so that we can go together to Tokyo," he added. CNA

    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/jonathan-chan-becomes-first-singaporean-diver-qualify-olympics
     
  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    National diver Jonathan Chan 'goes with the flow’ and finds himself with a shot at Olympic glory

    By Justin Ong

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    Jonathan Chan (pictured), 22, qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after winning the men's 10m platform final at the Asian Diving Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 8, 2019.
    Najeer Yusof

    Published11 September, 2019
    Updated 11 September, 2019

    SINGAPORE — He may be the first Singaporean to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games next year, even the first Singaporean diver to ever qualify for the Olympics, but glory can wait.

    National diver Jonathan Chan, 22, has a bigger immediate concern: Getting gold for his Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), which is coming up in about two weeks.
    Advertisement

    It would be “a bit paiseh (embarrassing) if national athlete doesn’t get gold”, he quipped in an interview with TODAY on Tuesday (Sept 10). He lists push-ups as his weakest station; in 2016 when he was doing National Service in the army, he almost failed to get gold.

    Chan, a second-year architecture major at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), qualified for the Olympics after winning the men's 10m platform final at the Asian Diving Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

    He beat China's Wang Zewei (393.45 points) and North Korea's Ri Kwon Hyok (347.25) to claim the gold medal at the Bukit Jalil National Aquatic Centre in Malaysia, with a total score of 407.90.

    Chan said that the qualification — granted only to the winner of the continental competition — came as a total surprise.

    “The first (thought) was more like, this is unreal,” Chan said. “Going into the competition, I was not expecting this. It was more for the experience.

    “So I didn’t know what to think. I think everyone else was happier for me.”

    Instead of celebrating, he spent the rest of the day drinking bubble tea and watching American sitcom Brooklyn 99 on Netflix while replying to a host of congratulatory messages.

    In the week that follows, Chan plans to spend less time on diving and more with his friends. He also plans to “train a little bit” for his IPPT.

    During the interview, Chan did not come across as your archetypal high-performance athlete. He describes his diet, for instance, as “mostly healthy with the occasional bubble tea and chips”.

    “Going with the flow” has always been his mantra, admitting that his previous coaches’ aspirations for him have largely flown over his head.

    “I frustrated many coaches,” he said. “Many of them end up saying things like, ‘You don’t have goals, you don’t have dreams’, and I was, like, 'Okay'…

    But despite the perceived lack of ambition, he has had some successes: Chan has two silver and three bronze medals from the South-east Asian (SEA) Games in 2015 and 2017, having also represented the nation at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

    The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) said that Chan’s qualification is the “culmination of years of hard work that has been put in by the athlete, coaches, the high-performance team in the SSA as well as the supporting team from Singapore Sports Institute”.

    William Lee, the association’s vice-president for diving, said: “We have no doubt Jonathan’s achievement will spur all our divers to dare to dream.”

    HE USED TO BE A GYMNAST

    Chan used to be a gymnast. His first foray into diving was when he followed his older sister Kimberly, a former national diver, to a tryout for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games team.

    Then just 13, he was too young to make the cut but he went along to get a taste of the sport.

    It wasn’t too long before he started representing the nation — he competed in the Asian Youth Games in 2013 and the 2014 YOG in Nanjing.

    Of current national diving coach Li Peng, Chan said: “I would say he’s very understanding… towards our school (life) and everything.”

    Li was previously a national champion in China and used to coach the Chinese women's national team and Britain's national team, mentoring the likes of Olympic gold medallist Li Na (China) and three-time world champion Tom Daley.

    Chan added: “If I’m (busy at school) he would say, ‘Never mind, don’t come.’ He understands the Singapore system.”

    During the school term, Chan barely has time to go out with friends because the weekends are reserved for catching up on school work. He also tries to sleep by midnight daily.

    He said that his parents are supportive of his endeavour and had never pressured him to excel.

    He recalled once when he consulted his mother as he was having thoughts of quitting. It was during 2017 — his second year in the army — when he was involved in several outfield missions which coincided with back-to-back competitions, one of which was overseas.

    “It’s mentally draining because if you don’t train for a while and you get back in, it's quite scary relearning. It took its toll on me… and I was super tired.”

    Chan spoke to his mother and she told him to “just sit on it and see if I really wanted to stop”.

    “But after a few days, the intense feeling passed so I continued,” he said. “At that time, they (his parents) would be okay (if I quit).”

    NO CONCRETE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

    As for the future, he said that he has no concrete plans.

    Rather than think about what he aims to achieve at the Olympic Games itself, Chan said that when the school year starts next Monday, his main focus will be “maintaining the standard while juggling school”.

    In the long term, he would probably not consider diving as a career. “The Singapore mindset is drilled into me, so I don’t see sports as a career,” he said. “I’ll probably see how after I graduate.”

    And his advice for any aspiring divers who might aim to one day be like him?

    “I would say that it’s not going to be easy. There’s definitely going to be a lot of injuries and setbacks that you have to deal with.

    “But when you make it, you will feel like it’s all worth it, and it will feel surreal.”


    Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...oes-flow-and-finds-himself-shot-olympic-glory
     
  10. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu clinches gold at World Para Swimming Championships


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    From left: Canada's Aly Van Wyck-Smart, Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu and Italy's Angela Procida took the top three medals in the women's 100m backstroke S2 at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships. (Photo: Marc Morris/SportsNewsAgency)

    12 Sep 2019 12:56PM (Updated: 12 Sep 2019 01:00PM)

    SINGAPORE: National swimmer Yip Pin Xiu on Wednesday (Sep 11) clinched Singapore's first medal at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, taking gold in the women's 100m backstroke S2.

    Yip finished the race in London more than 20 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Canadian Aly Van Wyck-Smart, the Singapore Disability Sports Council said in a news release on Thursday.

    This is the first of two races Yip is taking part in. The second race, the 50m backstroke, will take place on Friday.

    Yip, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, holds the world record in the 50m backstroke S2 and the 100m backstroke S2. She also won a gold medal in the women's 50m backstroke S4 (1-4) at the 2018 Asian Para Games last year.


    Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...d-para-swimming-championships-london-11898380
     
  11. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu wins second gold medal at World Para Swimming Championships

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    From left: Italy's Angela Procida, Singapore's Yip Pin Xiu and Canada's Aly Van Wyck-Smart took the top three medals in the women's 50m backstroke S2 at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships. (Photo: Marc Morris/SportsNewsAgency)

    14 Sep 2019 07:36AM (Updated: 14 Sep 2019 07:40AM)

    SINGAPORE: National swimmer Yip Pin Xiu claimed her second gold medal at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships on Friday (Sep 13) by winning the 50m backstroke S2.

    Yip finished the race in London more than 9 seconds ahead of runner-up Italian Angela Procida, the Singapore Disability Sports Council said in a media release on Saturday.

    She clocked a time of 1 minute and 4.43 seconds, just 0.25 seconds shy of her season best. Procida finished at 1 minute and 13.98 seconds, with Canada's Aly Van Wyck-Smart finishing in 1 minute and 17.76 seconds.


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    Singapore national swimmer Yip Pin Xiu poses with her gold medal. (Photo: Marc Morris/SportsNewsAgency)

    Yip on Wednesday clinched Singapore's first medal at the championships, taking gold in the women's 100m backstroke S2.

    "I'm pretty excited. Being a double-world champion makes me really happy," she said of her victory.

    “It’s been nine years since I had my last World Championship title, so it’s really been a bonus [to come here and win two medals]. Yesterday was my day to recover, but today I was doing my stretches and to try and recover to my fullest, and really just race.”

    Yip, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, holds the world record in the 50m backstroke S2 and the 100m backstroke S2. She also won a gold medal in the women's 50m backstroke S4 (1-4) at the 2018 Asian Para Games last year.

    Other athletes like Sophie Soon Jin Wen and Toh Wei Soong will represent Singapore on Saturday. Soon will compete in the 100m butterfly S13, while Toh, in his fourth event of the championships, will take part in the 100m freestyle S7.

    Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...al-world-para-swimming-championships-11905762
     

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  12. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Day 6: Singapore stuns Austria for Challengers' Cup gold medal
    http://www.fina.org/news/day-6-singapore-stuns-austria-challengers-cup-gold-medal

    FINA Water Polo Challengers Cup 2019
    Singapore City, Singapore

    [​IMG]
    13Oct2019

    Latest edit:
    14Oct2019

    Russell McKinnon, FINA Media Committee

    Singapore, October 13.— Singapore was crowned champion on the final day of the FINA Water Polo Challengers’ Cup men’s tournament at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore.

    Singapore stunned Austria 8-5 after a 3-0 opening quarter, something Austria never recovered from. Austria's big guns were left dormant as Singapore raced all around the pool and took the shots that counted.

    Singapore's breakthrough at this event comes after losing the 2009 final to Kuwait. Austria collected the last two bronze medals — 2015 and 2017 — and will at least go home with silver, although head coach Barnabas Steinmetz, the 2000 and 2004 Olympic champion from Hungary, will be rubbing his head in despair at how the match panned out.

    “This means a lot to me and team. The final was a difficult game, but the boys kept motivating themselves to push on even though they were quite tired after the tough game against Ireland yesterday. It was fantastic that from beginning till the end, they kept their discipline and concentration which showed that this team can achieve even greater things in the future”, said a delighted Dejan Milakovic, Singapore’s head coach.

    There was more joy in the Singapore camp, with goalkeeper Kai Yang Lee named player of the match in the final, while Jun An was named the Most Valuable Player of the competition. Kang Cheng finished as Singapore’s top scorer in the competition, with 21 goals.

    “Winning the Most Valuable Player award of the tournament is not just for myself, but it could not have happened without my team-mates. I think what this award really shows is the amount of hard work that we put into training every day. What is most important is that we got the win, we got the gold medal and we are ready for the upcoming SEA Games,” An said.

    Ireland and Indonesia fought hard for the bronze, but with the tournament's undoubted star, Ridjkie Mulia, converting four penalties en route to six goals and a staggering 37 from five matches, Indonesia crossed the line. Ireland was debuting in Singapore and Indonesia was sixth in 2015 and eighth in 2009.

    In the battle for fifth place, Philippines, inspired by Mark Valdez and Vincent Serrano, blazed their way to a 13-8 margin over Hong Kong, whose Gilman Choi was up to the challenge with four of his own.

    In the minor classifications, India secured seventh spot with a 13-8 victory over Malaysia and Zimbabwe had a field day, beating Chinese Taipei 30-3 for ninth position.

    Final positions:
    1. Singapore
    2. Austria
    3. Indonesia
    4. Ireland
    5. Philippines
    6. Hong Kong
    7. India
    8. Malaysia
    9. Zimbabwe
    10. Chinese Taipei

    Awards:
    Most Valuable Player:

    An Jun Ang (SGP)
    Most Valuable Goalkeeper:
    Salkan Samardzic (AUT)
    Highest goal-scorer:
    Ridjkie Mulia — 37 goals

    Sunday schedule:
    Match 21, 10:00, Classification 9-10, ZIMBABWE 30 CHINESE TAIPEI 3
    Match 22, 11:30, Classification 7-8, MALAYSIA 8 INDIA 13
    Match 23, 15:00, Classification 5-6, PHILIPPINES 13 HONG KONG 8
    Match 24, 16:30, Classification 3-4, IRELAND 9 INDONESIA 14
    Match 25, 16:30, Classification 1-2, SINGAPORE 8 AUSTRIA 5

    All photos: Thanks to Colin Ong/SSA.
     
  13. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore Sports School gets a new principal, fourth appointment in 15 years

    [​IMG]
    The Singapore Sports School was officially opened by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in April 2004.PHOTO: SINGAPORE SPORTS SCHOOL/FACEBOOK

    Published
    Oct 18, 2019, 10:55 pm SGT

    Low Lin Fhoong
    Assistant Sports Editor
    linfhoong@sph.com.sg

    SINGAPORE - The Singapore Sports School (SSP) will welcome a new principal on Dec 15, with Ong Kim Soon to take over the reins from Tan Teck Hock, who will relinquish the post after six years.

    Ong, 52, has been an educator for over 25 years, having served as principal of St Hilda's Secondary School from 2005 to 2010. He is currently the director of physical, sports and outdoor education branch at the Ministry of Education (MOE).

    He will be the fourth principal to head the SSP after the late Moo Soon Chong, who founded the school and served from 2004 to 2007, former Raffles Girls' School principal Deborah Tan (2007-2013) and Tan Teck Hock.

    The latter, who was the founding principal of the Physical Education and Sports Teacher Academy, will return to the MOE and take on a new role as principal of Spectra Secondary School, said the SSP in its press release on Friday evening (Oct 18).

    He has been in the education service since 1992 and was previously principal of Yishun Town Secondary (1999-2005) and Serangoon Junior College (2006-2010).

    The 55-year-old said on Friday: "I have had a fulfilling stint at Singapore Sports School, where my focus has been the holistic development of every student - be it in sport, education or character development."

    He pointed out that SSP's student-athletes won almost 40 per cent of Team Singapore's 84 gold medals at the 2015 SEA Games and that its current and former students accounted for about 31 per cent of the 188 medals won two years later in Kuala Lumpur.

    Of the 647 athletes heading to the Nov 30-Dec 11 Games in the Philippines, 100 are from the SSP.

    Tan gave his successor his vote of confidence, saying: "I have worked closely with Kim Soon in the Junior Sports Academy and in the review of the Sports School.

    "With his capable leadership and experience in the sports field, I believe that he will be able to add value and deliver a high-quality education experience to groom more sport talents for Singapore."

    Under his tenure, the SSP expanded its sports education pathways to allow for a customised Diploma in Business Studies with Ngee Ann Polytechnic and the Extended International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to give students greater flexibility in meeting their academic and sporting competition needs.

    Tan Gee Keow, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and SSP chairman credited Tan for his "unwavering commitment to his students, staff, and school".

    She added: "Mr Tan does not see excellence in sport and studies as a trade-off. He believes that the Sports School can offer a nurturing and inspiring environment where our young people can thrive in both these endeavours.

    "More importantly, Mr Tan believes in instilling in our student-athletes the values and spirit of all great athletes - that of resilience, good character, and service to society."

    Since it was officially opened by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in April 2004, the SSP has produced eight Olympians, 16 world champions and 18 Asian champions. It also has two world youth champions and Asian youth winners within its ranks.
     
  14. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Serena Teoh
    https://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-fitspo-of-the-week-serena-teoh-000010560.html


    [​IMG]
    Cheryl Tay
    Fit To Post Sports21 October 2019

    [​IMG]
    Serena Teoh will represent Singapore in women's marathon at the upcoming SEA Games in the Philippines. (PHOTO: Cheryl Tay)

    Life goes beyond the digits on the scale and your body is capable of so much more. Yahoo’s #Fitspo of the Week series is dedicated to inspirational men and women in Singapore leading healthy and active lifestyles. Have someone to recommend? Hit Cheryl up on Instagram or Facebook."

    Name: Serena Teoh (@serenaaateoh)

    Age: 31"

    Height: 1.58m"

    Weight: 42kg"

    Occupation: Risk Manager"

    Status: Married"

    Diet: I do not have a specific kind of diet, but I try my best to get good carbs, proteins and fats for each meal of the day. In between meals, I may snack on nuts and bananas. After a hard workout, I would take a whey protein shake.

    Training: It depends on what period of the year I am in. When I am training for the marathon, I follow my coach’s plan which would entail running about six times a week. When I am not training for the marathon, I do not count the number of days I train, I just enjoy working out and doing other things like spinning and Pilates

    [​IMG]
    Serena Teoh began running consistently after moving to Switzerland for work five years ago. (PHOTO: Cheryl Tay)
    Q: What sports did you do growing up?" data-reactid="60">Q: What sports did you do growing up?

    A: Because of my chronic childhood asthma, my father put me into swimming since eight years old. However, there wasn’t swimming in the girls’ school I was in, so I joined the symphonic band. Later in my academic life, I joined the college swim team and university aquathlon team.

    What sports did you get into as you got older?" data-reactid="62">What sports did you get into as you got older?

    Sports was never something I was passionate and consistent in while growing up. After graduation, work and social life superseded sports, and I was not working out regularly at all. It was only after I moved to Switzerland for work five years ago that I started to pick up sports and running consistently.

    When did you start running more competitively?" data-reactid="64">When did you start running more competitively?

    I would say during my time in Switzerland. I learnt that running may be an individual sport, but the happiness and success of achieving your goals will never be without your teammates.

    [​IMG]
    View photos
    Serena Teoh qualified for the SEA Games after clocking 3hrs 23sec in her Tokyo Marathon run in March. (PHOTO: Cheryl Tay)

    Did you ever expect to be representing Singapore in the marathon for the upcoming SEA Games?

    Initially, no, as it was out of pure passion that I started running consistently. However as time went by and I saw that my timings were improving, it started becoming a thought that perhaps one day I would be able to represent Singapore.

    When did this possibility first come to mind?

    When I started improving my times and saw that I could have a chance for the Games, I started thinking about it. During the Frankfurt Marathon in 2017 when I clocked 3hr 1min, it gave me confidence that I could potentially get there. I knew that I was close to the qualifying mark and decided to give the next SEA Games qualification a try.

    What are some of your best achievements thus far?

    I guess my best achievement would be clocking 1:22:07 to finish fourth at the Gran Canaria half-marathon this January, and then running the Tokyo Marathon in 3:00:23 in March to qualify for the SEA Games.

    How do you balance work, training and life?

    In Switzerland it was easier, as the city I was living in was much smaller. I could walk to work in five minutes and to my gym in two minutes, and work always ended on time as the culture in Europe is quite different. Thus I always had no problems going for evening training.

    [​IMG]
    Serena Teoh feels that taking part in marathon has taught her to be a strong person physically, mentally and emotionally. (PHOTO: Cheryl Tay)

    Now, having moved back to Singapore, it is quite a big change with a new job and unfortunately together with having to cope with training amid an injury, I am still learning to try and find a balance.

    What are your fitness goals now?

    To try my best and make it to the start line of the SEA Games, and after that take a good physical and mental break, focusing on active recovery and letting my injuries heal.

    When did you feel the least confident about yourself?

    I guess I did not have to deal with over- or under-confidence so far in life. There are times when I feel sad whenever I encounter certain shortcomings in life, but I eventually learn to accept them and move on. The marathon has taught me to be a stronger person physically, mentally and emotionally.

    Do you get any comments about your body?

    Not really, just the occasional “You are too skinny”. For me, size is not as important as being healthy, and I know that I am small-built but so long as I am eating well and feeling healthy, I am satisfied.

    [​IMG]
    Singapore #Fitspo of the Week: Serena Teoh. (PHOTO: Cheryl Tay)
     
  15. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Athletics
    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/athletics/singapores-young-4x100m-team-deliver-surprise-breaking-record
    Singapore's young 4x100m team deliver surprise by breaking record

    Newly formed 4x100m team surpass expectations to clock national junior mark
    [​IMG]
    Adeena Mohamed Nagib

    Oct 30, 2019 06:00 am


    When national women's relay coach Melvin Tan fielded a young 4x100m team during the SEA Games test event in the Philippines over the weekend, all he wanted was to give the teenage quartet some exposure.

    After all, he had tried out the combination only twice in training recently.

    But the foursome of Bernice Liew, Elizabeth-Ann Tan, both 16, Haanee Hamkah, 18, and Clara Goh, 19, delivered a pleasant surprise by posting a national junior record of 46.68sec.

    Their feat at the New Clark City Stadium on Sunday saw them lowering the previous mark by 0.1sec.

    It was set by Jannah Wong, Kugapriya Chandran, Eugenia Tan and Shanti Pereira at the 2014 Asian Junior Championships in Taiwan.

    "We tried the junior squad this time around to test and familiarise themselves with the track and the pressures," Melvin told The New Paper yesterday.

    "Breaking the record came as a pleasant surprise, even though we were hoping for it.

    "It was very easy for me to put them into the team because their attendance at relay training has been very good.

    "Their knowledge on the principle of a good relay run is there and they are very consistent.

    "The two 16-year-olds, Bernice and Elizabeth-Ann, are young but they already have a level of maturity about running."

    Their strong foundations helped them blend seamlessly to win the gold as the Philippines, the only other contenders in the race, finished in 50.55sec.

    But it was the youthful Singapore quartet's timing, rather than the hue of their medal, that shone through.

    Haanee, eldest daughter of former Singapore sprinter and current national men's relay coach Hamkah Afik, said they broke the record by focusing on the process.

    Said the second-year bio-medical science student at Temasek Polytechnic (TP): "We were expected to break the record, but we didn't want to focus on that.

    "We focused more on executing the race well.

    "After we saw the time, we were jumping for joy and ran to each other for a group hug."

    [​IMG]
    (Clockwise from top left) Elizabeth-Ann Tan, Haanee Hamkah, Bernice Liew and Clara Goh celebrating after setting the 4x100m national junior record. PHOTO: SINGAPORE ATHLETICS

    Goh, a third-year business student at TP, said: "It is a big achievement because we are a new and young team.

    "Our coaches kept telling us that we could do it and I'm very happy that we did."

    Elizabeth-Ann, a Sec 4 student at Nanyang Girls' High School, believes that even though they had tried out the combination only a couple of times, it worked well because they have been training together since earlier this year.

    Said the anchor-leg runner: "We had good teamwork and chemistry between us, because we've trained together for quite some time and have bonded as a team.

    "We trained with this combination only twice before the event."

    The race was extra special for Bernice, also from Nanyang Girls, as it was her debut competition after receiving her Singapore citizenship in August.

    "I missed previous meets because I was only a permanent resident before this and could only race at the Asean School Games or local competitions," said Bernice, whose parents are Malaysians.

    The quartet's finish over the weekend brought Singapore's medal tally to three golds, two silvers and two bronzes.

    The 4x100m mixed relay team, comprising Timothee Yap, Kugapriya, Pereira and Ariff Januri also finished first in 43.27sec.

    Pereira, who won the women's 100m gold in 11.78sec, was just 0.2sec off the national record she set in April.

    The results over the weekend have given Melvin food for thought.

    He will be picking the final SEA Games relay team on Sunday, when the four girls and senior sprinters Pereira and Kugapriya will be taking part in a trial.

    BREAK THE DRY SPELL
    Regardless of which combination he chooses, Melvin is aiming for a podium finish during the Nov 30-Dec 11 Games.

    He is eyeing the Republic's first women's relay medal at the biennial meet since Nurulaini Arifin, Mona Kunalan, Tan Shieh Li and Hiranisha Rasimudin won a bronze in Jakarta in 1997.

    Hoping to break the 22-year dry spell, Melvin said: "We should not just go for personal bests or season bests.

    "We've come to the stage where we have to tell ourselves to go for the podium."

    He conceded that it would be tough to beat Thailand or 2017 champions Vietnam, who won in a Games record of 43.88sec.

    But he added: "If we can increase the time differential and get a good ground speed, then we have a good chance of finishing in the top three."
     
  16. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    S'pore coach Natalie Milicich pleased with historic win in Nations Cup
    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/team-sing...lie-milicich-pleased-historic-win-nations-cup

    [​IMG]
    Singapore's Carmen Goh challenging Cook Islands' Maeva Carr. TNP PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
    Republic, ranked world No. 28, upset the odds to beat 12th-ranked Cook Islands
    [​IMG]
    Kimberly Kwek

    Oct 24, 2019 06:00 am

    What a difference a day makes. Tuesday had marked Singapore's first victory, but it came after their worst performance in three games.

    M1 NATIONS CUP
    SINGAPORE COOK ISLANDS


    Last night, the Republic managed their second win at the M1 Nations Cup - a 59-47 upset victory over the 12th-ranked Cook Islands - and coach Natalie Milicich was considerably happier.

    She felt that world No. 28 Singapore had seized their chances and put up a significantly better performance in their "historic win" at the OCBC Arena.

    The New Zealander said: "To beat a team who are 12th in the world is an incredible result. It shows what we've been building towards.

    "I'm very proud we really implemented our game plan and it was really important to actually convert those opportunities. We've been working on how to keep it and we managed to do it today."

    She had rued the team's inconsistency after the 51-35 win over Ireland on Tuesday, highlighting the unforced errors and the tendency to let the lead slip.

    They spent yesterday morning ironing out the kinks in defence, going back to basic structures of play that helped them regain "that belief that we could get ball".

    The move paid off, with captain Charmaine Soh saying: "We did very well in maintaining composure, especially after we got the lead. It was very good the team... brought the ball down safely to the shooters."

    The last time the teams met at the 2017 Nations Cup, Singapore lost 57-49 to the Cook Islands and had anticipated a tough game yet again.

    But the Republic were unfazed and went all out.

    They started brightly to take the first quarter 14-7 and maintained their dominance.

    Even though their rivals threatened occasionally, the hosts still went into the break with a 29-22 lead.

    Their advantage grew to 46-35 and, despite a jittery start to the final quarter, Singapore managed to hang on to victory.

    Cook Islands coach Anna Andrews-Tasola said: "There was a lot at stake for both teams to stay alive in the competition. Singapore played really well and we were just not quick enough."

    The win comes at a crucial time for Soh and Co, who had not tasted back-to-back wins in a while.

    At July's Netball World Cup in Liverpool, they lost all their matches.

    They had started their Nations Cup campaign with a draw against Namibia (world No. 33) and a loss to Botswana (No. 26) before Tuesday's win over Ireland (No. 25).

    CONFIDENCE
    Milicich said: "(Ireland) was our first win for a while. It was such a tough platform for us at the World Cup. It was important that we built on that, so that (result) really helped our confidence."

    Earlier in the day, the undefeated Namibia (seven points) beat winless Papua New Guinea 59-47 to consolidate top spot in the table.

    Botswana beat Ireland 46-34 and are second on six points, above Singapore with five points.

    The hosts can still make the final on Saturday, with one more game, against world No. 20 Papua New Guinea tomorrow after a one-day break today.
     
  17. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Shooting: Shooter Tessa Neo bags silver at Asian Championship

    [​IMG]
    Tessa Neo finished second in the women's 10m air rifle yesterday at the Asian Shooting Championship.PHOTO: SINGAPORE SHOOTING ASSOCIATION

    Published
    Nov 6, 2019, 5:00 am SGT

    Kimberly Kwek

    In the span of just a few hours yesterday at the Asian Shooting Championship in Doha, Tessa Neo hit two milestones for Singapore.

    By qualifying for the women's 10m air rifle final in Qatar, she had secured a Tokyo 2020 quota spot for Singapore, the country's first in the discipline based on merit.

    She then registered a second historic feat by claiming a silver medal, the first time the Republic had finished on the podium in that event at the Asian Championship.

    Neo told The Straits Times last night: "After knowing we got the quota, I was feeling motivated to try my best to win something for the team and for Singapore.

    "At the moment, it hasn't completely sunk in. I just feel extremely thankful.

    "I'm glad all the hard work, advice and support my coach has given me has come to some fruition. I hope the win will motivate the team to bring home more."

    Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu congratulated the athlete in a Facebook post yesterday and added: "We share your joy and are very proud of you."

    Neo, 21, had squeezed into the final, her score of 627.9 just enough to take the eighth and final spot narrowly ahead of Indian Anjum Moudgil (627.6).

    With the top seven competitors having already secured their Olympic places, it meant the Republic is guaranteed an entry for next year's Summer Games.

    Neo initially struggled in the final and was in last place after the first competition stage and in danger of being the first shooter to be eliminated. But from the second stage, she suddenly found her range.

    She said: "I just kept telling myself to focus on my shot. And that there's nothing to lose."

    Over her next 14 shots, her lowest score was 10.4 (10.9 was the highest) as she steadily climbed the standings and narrowed the gap with China's Yang Qian, who held a 2.3 point lead over Neo after the first stage.

    That margin was just 0.5 before the duo took their final shot. Neo shot 10.7 to Yang's 10.4 to finish runner-up with a score of 251.4 while the Chinese ended on 251.6. South Korean Jung Eun-hea was third with 228.9 points.

    The Olympic quota spot, however, does not automatically qualify Neo for next year's Tokyo Games, as the final decision on who should represent the country lies with the Singapore Shooting Association and Singapore National Olympic Council.

    At the previous Games in Rio, Brazil, it was Neo's cousin, Jasmine Ser, who earned a spot after finishing first in a women's 50m three-positions event at the Asian qualifying event in New Delhi.

    Neo had won the women's individual 10m air rifle and team 10m air rifle events at the 2015 SEA Games, but will not be taking part in this year's biennial Games in the Philippines
     
  18. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Singapore's athletes ready for the Games
    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/team-singapore/singapores-athletes-ready-games


    [​IMG]
    Singapore athletes heading to the SEA Games, Asean Para Games and Winter Youth Olympics taking a group photo at the official flag presentation ceremony at Our Tampines Hub on Saturday (Nov 9).PHOTO: SINGAPORE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COUNCIL

    1. [​IMG]
    2. [​IMG]
    Nov 09, 2019 03:58 pm
    Singapore is set to cross several milestones in the sporting arena over the coming months.

    In November, the Republic will be sending its largest contingent of 666 athletes in 48 sports to the Nov 30-Dec 11 SEA Games in the Philippines, followed by 61 athletes across 12 sports at the Asean Para Games from Jan 18-25.

    In the same month, two young athletes will be representing the nation at the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Lausanne, Switzerland, from Jan 9-22 – a first for Singapore.

    At the official flag presentation ceremony on Saturday (Nov 9), squash player Samuel Kang, para-shuttler Tay Wei Ming and short-track speed skater Alyssa Pok were unveiled as the flag-bearers for the SEA Games, Asean Para Games and Winter YOG respectively. Goalball player Joan Hung led in taking the pledge.

    Speaker of Parliament and Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) president Tan Chuan-Jin and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu presented Singapore flags to the respective Games' chefs de mission, who then handed them over to the flag-bearers.

    SEA Games chef de mission Juliana Seow said: “This is the largest contingent we are sending to any major Games. Preparations started many months ago as it is a mammoth task getting the 1,000-strong contingent ready for the Games.

    "The SNOC, SSI (Singapore Sports Institute), MCCY (Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth), NSAs (national sports associations) and other organisations such as Mindef, the employers and families have all played a very important role in supporting the athletes on their SEA Games journey.

    "Keeping our athletes healthy and in tip-top shape to put on their best performance for Singapore, and their safe return thereafter, is our utmost priority and I am grateful for the support from all stakeholders.”

    Para-shuttler Tay said: "It has been a busy year leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as there are many competitions to accumulate ranking points in order to qualify.

    "Prior to this, the Asean Para Games (APG) happens to fall in place along the timeline as these competitions help me to prep up for APG mentally and physically.

    “Working together with the various support groups under the high-performance team, the training is target-specific which covers both technical and physical aspects of the sport. Hopefully, there will be another breakthrough as the top three players of the world will be present at this APG.”

    A milestone will be achieved with Alyssa and Matthew Hamnett, both 15, being the country's first representatives at the Winter YOG. Matthew will be taking part in the ice hockey mixed team tournament.

    Winter YOG chef de mission Joanne Kyra Loo said: “I am sure Alyssa and Matthew feel the honour of being the first Singaporeans to represent (the country) at the Winter YOG. 2020 is not only a celebration of another milestone for youth sports in Singapore, it also marks the 10-year anniversary since Singapore’s hosting of the inaugural edition of YOG.

    "It is a significant milestone that we are proud to share and celebrate. The YOG athletes will also engage in a unique blend of sporting, cultural and educational activities which form an important part of the YOG.”
     
  19. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Football: Faris and Ikhsan lead strike force at the SEA Games
    https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football-faris-and-ikhsan-lead-strike-force-at-the-sea-games

    [​IMG]
    Faris Ramli (left) and Ikhsan Fandi will lead Singapore's attack at the SEA Games in the Philippines later this month.PHOTOS: FAS, LIANHE ZAOBAO
    Published
    Nov 18, 2019, 4:31 pm SGT

    Kimberly Kwek

    SINGAPORE - Faris Ramli and Ikhsan Fandi will lead Singapore's attack at the SEA Games in the Philippines, as the Under-22 national team target a semi-final spot at the biennial event later this month.

    Faris, 27, is one of the two overage players in the 20-man squad named by head coach Fandi Ahmad on Monday (Nov 18) for the Nov 25 to Dec 10 football competition in Manila.

    The other senior player is Warriors FC defender Tajeli Salamat, 25.

    Both Faris and Tajeli featured in the team's 4-1 victory over Perth Glory's U-20 last Tuesday at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

    The former scored a goal and set up another, while Tajeli contributed to the hosts' first goal.

    This will be Faris' fourth SEA Games as he had also competed in the 2011, 2013 and 2015 editions. The speedy forward had a stellar season in the Singapore Premier League where he scored 16 goals for Hougang United and was crowned Player of the Year.

    Fandi said: "The coaches and I had to make some difficult decisions as we finalised the squad to put together the best team possible. It is now down to the players who have been selected to treasure this opportunity and do the country proud.

    "It has been a long year of preparation. The training camps, friendlies and tournaments throughout the year were part of the preparations leading up to the SEA Games. All the coaches and backroom staff have worked hard to ensure that the team is mentally, physically and tactically prepared."

    The U-22s have been placed in Group B with defending champions Thailand, 2017 bronze medallists Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos and Brunei.

    While Singapore can expect a tough challenge on the road to the semi-finals, Fandi has faith in his charges.

    The 57-year-old said: "We know that they are fighters… win, lose or draw, they will fight. We want them to play with their hearts, heads and guts, and give their all on the pitch."

    The Singapore Under-22s play their first game against Laos at the Rizal Memorial Stadium next Tuesday.

    SEA Games squad:

    Goalkeepers:
    Kenji Rusydi, Zharfan Rohaizad; Defenders: Irfan Fandi, Irfan Najeeb, Jordan Vestering, Ryhan Stewart, Syahrul Sazali, Tajeli Salamat, Lionel Tan, Zulqarnaen Suzliman; Midfielders: Haiqal Pashia, Hami Syahin, Jacob Mahler, Joshua Pereira, Naqiuddin Eunos, Nur Luqman, Saifullah Akbar, Shah Shahiran; Forwards: Faris Ramli, Ikhsan Fandi
     
  20. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Four debutants to the fore at SEA Games table-tennis competition
    https://www.tnp.sg/sports/team-singapore/four-debutants-fore-sea-games-table-tennis-competition

    [​IMG]
    (From left) Teenage paddlers Goi Rui Xuan, Wong Xin Ru, Josh Chua and Koen Pang make up half of Singapore's table tennis squad who are heading to the Nov 30-Dec 11 SEA Games. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
    Goi, Xin Ru, Chua and Koen aim to help Singapore maintain dominance at SEA Games table-tennis competition

    Adeena Mohamed Nagib
    Nov 19, 2019 06:00 am

    Four local-born teenage paddlers - Koen Pang, Josh Chua, Wong Xin Ru and Goi Rui Xuan - are aiming for a smashing debut at the SEA Games in the Philippines from Nov 30-Dec 11.

    The quartet, who were promoted to the senior team earlier this year, make up half the squad heading to Subic, the others being seniors Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu, Ethan Poh and Clarence Chew.

    Unlike the last edition in Kuala Lumpur, where Singapore's paddlers bagged five golds, six silvers and one bronze, there will be no team event this time around. Hence, they will be targeting a clean sweep of the singles and doubles events.

    Koen, who is eyeing a gold in either the men's singles or doubles, is on a positive momentum following a breakthrough year.

    In August, the 17-year-old became the first Singapore paddler to reach the junior world No.1 ranking. He also caused an upset at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships four months ago, when he sent then-world No. 32 Sharath Kamal Achanta packing.

    Trailing 3-1 and on the brink of elimination, Koen discovered Sharath's weakness and managed to win 4-3 and qualify for the semi-finals.

    "That was an important win this year. (I learnt) to not stop believing in myself. There was a technique that the opponent couldn't answer to," he said during a media event at the Singapore Sports School yesterday.

    "So, you can still come back from a deficit. Also, I focused on every ball instead of the result."

    Koen acknowledged that his promotion to the senior national team has added pressure on him, but he has improved technically and mentally.

    The full-time paddler has gained great exposure with numerous competitions and training stints all over the world. He recently returned from a six-week sojourn in Europe, training in Sweden, Germany, Belarus and Poland.

    He said: "I learnt to change my game by knowing all the things that I can do with every ball, and then which kind of shot to play."

    Men's coach Gao Ning, who won two golds and a silver at the last SEA Games before retiring last year, is confident that Koen will perform well despite lacking experience.

    "For Koen, speed is his advantage. He is also a left-hander with a strong forehand," said Gao through a translator.

    Gao added that Koen's doubles partner, Chua, complements him well with his "control and fast movement".

    The 18-year-old Raffles Institution student has also had a successful year.

    Since January, Chua jumped over 650 spots in the world rankings and now sits at world No. 395. He attributed it to the multiple training and competitions he gets now.

    INTENSIVE
    "We train about 12 sessions a week and we have back-to-back overseas competitions and training camps. That allows us to play against more experienced players... and learn more skills," he said.

    Chua is in school by sunrise and heads straight for training at 4.30pm. Then he practises till 10pm, with an hour's dinner break in between.

    His steep improvement also came from sacrifices like deferring his A-level exams.

    "I discussed with my parents for a long time and we talked to the school too. We found that this is the best choice for me, so that I can focus on SEA Games this year and then A levels next year."

    Goi, 18, also put her sports and leisure management diploma studies at Republic Polytechnic on hold, after deciding to train full-time last year.

    "I feel that I have a heavier responsibility as I'm a full-time athlete, so I have to set higher targets for myself," she said.

    "There are big expectations from the people around me. But I've received a lot of support from friends and coaches and that helps me to improve at a faster pace."

    Having been able to focus on training has helped Goi hone her craft. This year alone, she has participated in 10 competitions in countries such as Qatar, Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

    Goi, Chua and Koen will also compete at the World Junior Championships from Nov 24-Dec 1 in Korat, Thailand, before the SEA Games competition five days later.

    Goi's Games target is at least a bronze in the women's doubles, in which she will be pairing up with Xin Ru, 17.

    PROMISING
    Women's coach Hao Anlin believes this partnership shows promise, saying: "Goi is diligent and consistent. Xin Ru is smart, tall with a wide reach and plays with a backhand-pimple style, which is an advantage for us."

    Xin Ru, a second-year business student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, had a baptism of fire at April's World Championships in Hungary, where she met China's world No. 1 Chen Meng.

    Although Xin Ru lost 4-0, she impressed in the first two sets by stretching Chen to 11-9, 11-9.

    "Since transiting to the senior team, there are more expectations in terms of skill, performance and even mental strength, (so) I learnt how to deal with the different kinds of pressure internally and externally," she said.

    "(Goi and I) don't want to pressure ourselves by being too result-focused. We aim for the gold medal but will be happy with a podium finish."
     

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