LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore

 
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LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
LIVE
    BET TER THROUGH SPORT   OC TOBER | 2018

WE ARE
Singapore!
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
Content
                                                                                                     Chairman’s Foreword
                                                                                                     This bumper issue covers many inspiring stories and events that have been staged in the
                                                                                                     last few months, particularly around our 53rd National Day. They speak of who we are and
                                                                                                     our pride; and provide glimpses of how we are journeying together through sport. In this
                                                                                                     landscape, we see our spirit of living our lives to the fullest expressed through our energy
                                                                                                     and commitment.

                                                                                                     Our lives in sport take us beyond work and attending to responsibilities, and adds to
                                                                                                     the vibrancy and colour of our city and country. It rounds up the meaningfulness of our

4        It's In His Blood                                                                           endeavours by bringing us closer as families, friends and neighbours, colleagues, and
                                                                                                     communities. It encourages us not just to get along, but to root for each other, and to
                                                                                                     be there when it is important to be. At home and abroad, we are defining who we are as
                                                                                                     Singaporeans through our sport and play.

13       GetActive! Singapore                                                                        I hope that you will feel inspired as you go through the chronicles in these pages.

                                                                                                     In this edition, we also pay tribute to Mr Richard Seow, who has helmed the board of

43 The City Comes Alive With Football!
                                                                                                     Sport Singapore from 1 October 2010 to 31 September 2018. Richard first stepped onto
                                                                                                     the board in 2006, and since then his passion for sport and people, his encouraging
                                                                                                     demeanour and inspiring leadership have provided clear direction for the work and efforts
                                                                                                     of Sport Singapore.

57 Our People, Our Spirit                                                                            In his tenure as Chairman, Sport Singapore has formulated and worked towards Vision
                                                                                                     2030; an aspiration and blueprint for how sport should be deployed as a strategy for
                                                                                                     nation building. The imprint of his leadership is plain to see

69 Asian Games 2018
                                                                                                     when we survey Singapore’s sporting landscape today. Our
                                                                                                     infrastructure, events, the accessibility to good, affordable
                                                                                                     and inclusive programmes have made significant strides, and
                                                                                                     continue to improve and grow. Team Singapore athletes have

99 The 2018 World Cities Summit
                                                                                                     made significant breakthroughs with the support from new
                                                                                                     high performance capabilities and systems. Coaches too
                                                                                                     are receiving more support for continuing education and
                                                                                                     development. Richard’s visionary leadership has inspired us
                                                                                                     to weave a tapestry to nurture communities and partners
105 Active Health For Everyone                                                                       that will work together to enable us all to
                                                                                                     “Live Better Through Sport”.

                                                                                                     We are continuing with the good work that Richard
111 Events                                                                                           has spearheaded with a review of the Vision 2030
                                                                                                     strategies and plans. As part of this review we are
                                                                                                     engaging partners and diverse stakeholders to
                                                                                                     take on broad perspectives and ideas of how we
This publication is produced by Sport Singapore. Connect with us at sportsingapore.gov.sg.           can further leverage the potential that has been
For enquiries or feedback, please email to Genevieve_Goh@sport.gov.sg                                created. I hope that if you are approached, or if you
                                                                                                     have views and ideas that you would engage us.
The editorial peeps: Sol Ami, Chloe Ang, Genevieve Goh, Shane Hong, Lee Huei Chern, Lim Teck Yin,
Ng Chrong Meng, Melvyn Quek, Song Jing, Fayeruz Surahman, Ben Tan, Eliza Tan, Jean Yong              I hope you enjoy this edition of “LIVE”.

With contributions from: Ang Han Teng, Kannan Arumugam, Brenda Boh, Alan Chong, Amy Chong,
Grace Gan, Zaid Ismail, Lau Ai Ling, Lee Li Huang, Sheryl Lim, Parry Low, Samantha Low, Andrew Ng,   Mr Kon Yin Tong
Sharifa Norliza, Harry Ong, Raphael Rios, Andy Tan, Tan Shu Fang, Darren Tan, Tan Bee Lian, Janice   Chairman, Sport Singapore
Woon, Herald Yeo, John Yeong.

Cover and Chairman's Foreword photos by Sport Singapore

All information stated is correct at time of printing
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
It’s in
                         his blood ...
                         RICHARD SEOW
                         CHAIRMAN OF SPORT SINGAPORE
                         1 OCTOBER 2010 TO 31 SEPTEMBER 2018

                         O    ne would expect the Chairman of the Sport
                              Singapore Board to have a rich background
                         in sport. Richard Seow certainly ticks many of
                                                                             100m and 200m sprints and the 80m and 100m
                                                                             hurdles. Interestingly, he also recounted how
                                                                             recess games like “one-leg catching” all had
                         the boxes. He was a schoolboy sprint champion       a part to play in his athletic development and
                         and played multiple sports, and is now a            physical literacy.
                         knowledgeable sports fan, sports parent and
                         sports photographer that commands much              Soon he was talent spotted and was asked to
                         respect in local sport circles. Amongst athletes,   meet the legendary Tan Eng Yoon, who worked
                         coaches, officials and administrators, he is        at the then Singapore Sports Council. “Mr Tan
                         known for being an encouraging leader who has       asked me to run one round the track at the
                         spent time and effort to know them better and       National Stadium and then put me on a strength
                         to support their efforts as best he could. To the   and conditioning programme,” Richard recalls.

    The motivation
                         leaders in Sport Singapore, his wise counsel and    By Secondary 4, under coach Tan Soo Hian,
                         astute judgement was instrumental in enabling       Richard clocked his best time ever for the 100m;

    behind his passion
                         the momentum in Vision 2030.                        10.83 seconds.

                         Encouraged by his father and mother, Gordon         “Tan Soo Hian gave me self-belief, my mother
                         and Eileen Seow, sport was very much a part         was at every meet I ran, and others like journalist
                         of Richard’s growing up years. The elder Seow       Ernest Frieda were always encouraging; giving
                         was an All Malaya tennis player, a hurdler and      me tips on how to improve.” Self-belief turned
                         long jumper, and later a Team Singapore golfer.     into an aspiration; and the 1984 Los Angeles
                         It was no wonder that Richard would fall in love    Olympics was the target.
                         with sport and become a huge proponent for its
                         value to our lives and society.                     “I made the move to the University of Oregon
                                                                             during my first year in Junior College and I was
                         He recounts what playing was like in his primary    one of the six fighting for a place in the sprint
                         school years, which included two years in           squad.” He devoured Track and Field News and
                         England where the family was based for a time:      its sister publication, Track Technique. “I was
                         “I was exposed to playing football, rugby,          studying the sport and its athletes to pick up on
                         cricket and athletics in England. We played         tips for starts and racing.”
                         every day, even though the school did not have
                         a big regulation-sized field. Two or three times    To Richard, the adjustment to the new
                         every week we would play against another            environment was huge. “The training load was
                         school in the area. Everyone played something       much more than I had ever experienced. This
                         and we had several ‘school teams’ with different    was not about the athlete but the college team,
                         abilities in any one sport.”                        and we were all fighting for a place on the team
                                                                             and to try and win championships.”
                         Richard’s interest would gradually narrow down
                         to athletics because he was fast. When he           In hindsight, the move may have come too
                         returned to Singapore in Primary 5, he ran in the   soon. As a maturing athlete, every year in age

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                                                                                            All photos by Richard Seow and Dyan Tjhia
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
“Through the lens you learn to look at
                      and appreciate things quite differently.”
                                          – Richard Seow

    had a heavy count. The unrelenting training load had taken its toll and he suffered stress
    fractures on his shins. It became clear that 1984 was not going to happen.

    Richard continued to play other sports in college. On his return to serve National Service,
    he won the coveted Sword of Honour as the best officer cadet from the School of Signals.
    Sport continued to provide him a balance to the hectic working life of a banker, and when
    his children were born “the cycle started all over again”.

    Now as a sports parent, he was on the sidelines as his children swam and played in
    team sports. He was very much the sports parent that he had experienced when he was
    growing up.

    How did he get into sports photography? Richard smiles at the memory. “One day my
    wife told me that I was not setting a good example to my sons, shouting instructions and
    other things as I watched my kids play. She decided to get me a camera and told me to
    watch through the lens. Since that day she has conspired every birthday with the supplier
    to enhance my collection of photographic gear.”

    Photography is how Richard consumes live sport now. “Through the lens you learn to
    look at and appreciate things quite differently.” The photos accompanying this article are     Always for the youth
    a sample of his large portfolio, and illustrate his meaning. Emotions, character, spirit and
    the human form are all exemplified through his lens.

    It would almost seem inevitable that this successful businessman would soon receive
    a call up to serve on the board of the then Singapore Sports Council. In all he served
    twelve years; eight of those as Chairman.

    He recounts his aspiration for the board was to help make sport more relevant to people
    and Singapore society. He espouses the value of sport for every facet of life – childhood
    development, strong families and work teams, shared societal values and identity and
    more. “The key is to bring everyone along and keep building on the narrative of how we
    can all live better through sport.”

    “What we are doing in Vision 2030 is not easy because it is multi-faceted and complex;
    but has great meaning. It will take a generation or two to reap the full rewards, and so we
    must continue to attract good people at all levels to do the work of building a persuasive
    narrative and experience in daily life. The attitudes of parents towards sport have shifted
    positively and we must keep going this way. The sporting landscape in Singapore has
    improved over the years, but there is still a long way to go.”

    It is quite clear from his life and what he says that even as Richard steps off the board he
    will never be far away from Singapore sport. We may see less of him at the office but he
    will for sure be on the field, probably with the camera and massive lenses that have been
    a common sight for more than a decade.

    After all, it is in his blood.

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                                                                                                             All photos by Richard Seow
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
Team Singaporeʼs biggest fan

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                      All photos by Richard Seow
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
Moments of magic

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                        All photos by Richard Seow
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
etActive!
                                SINGAPORE
                                  MORE THAN 12,000 PEOPLE
                             came to cheer on our Team Singapore athletes

                                                    803,055 PEOPLE
                              were reached through this year’s celebrations

                                                                  90%
                                              felt the event offered a good
                                        occasion to celebrate National Day

                                                                  85%
                                         agreed that the event made them
                                       feel proud to be living in Singapore

                                        SCAN QR CODE
                                     to watch the highlights of
                                    GetActive! Singapore 2018
     The best is yet to be

12
     Photo by Richard Seow
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
GetActive! Singapore
     GetActive! Singapore 2018 was launched in conjunction
     with the Team Singapore Flag Presentation ceremonies
     for the 18th Asian Games, 3rd Asian Para Games and 3rd
     Youth Olympic Games on 29 July 2018 at Car Free Sunday.

14                                                             Photo by Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth   15
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
Well Done, Boys!
                                                     Congratulations to the boys from our ActiveSG
                                                     Football Academy’s U-9 and U-11 teams
                                                     for their great showing at the Kanga Cup
                                                     competition in Canberra last July.

     WE ARE CHEERING                                 The teams made it through to the semi-finals
                                                     and quarter finals respectively despite most

     FOR YOU!                                        of them competing overseas for the first time.

     With thousands of people witnessing the
     flag presentation ceremonies for the three
     major games, our athletes and officials could
     be confident of the backing for their quest
     for strong performances and glory.

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                                                                                                      All photos by Ben Cho and Ng Chrong Meng
LIVE - WE ARE Singapore! - Sport Singapore
PARTNERS
                                                                                                                                                                  WHO CARE

                                                                                                             “We are delighted to be a corporate partner
                                                                                                             of GetActive! Singapore. As an organisation,
                                                                                                              this is a great impetus for us to kick off an
                                                                                                             internal culture, where all of us can lead our
                                                                                                                        own personal well being.”
                                                                                                                                    - Linda Ming
                                                                                                                             Director, Brand Communications
                                                                                                                          & Customer Care, McDonald's Singapore

     Through sport we care!
     G    etActive! Singapore’s Active Enabler
          Programme (AEP) aimed to encourage
     more people to organise sporting activities
                                                         During her three children's growing up years,
                                                         she has exposed them to different things
                                                         such as arts, nature and sport. Comparing her
     for their community of friends, colleagues,and      first two children who are neurotypical to her
     families. This year's AEP supported more than       youngest child who is autistic, she felt that
     309 ground-up applications and reached out to       children with special needs were lacking the
     over 108,000 participants.                          opportunities usually available to kids.

     Year on year, we also saw a growing number          She shared, "I am thus very motivated to bring
     of organisations returning to participate.          in similar activities for children with autism so
     One example is 'Friends of ASD Families’,           that they too get to try a variety of experiences
     an advocacy group for the autism community.         just like any other child."
     They believe that GetActive! Singapore is a
     great occasion for families caring for loved ones   Ms Sun is thankful for the AEP as she felt that
     with autism to come together for a meaningful       the grant has enabled the autism community to
     celebration with other Singaporeans.                expose their children to new experiences in a
                                                         safe and supportive environment. She strongly
     Ms Sun Meilan, third time AEP applicant,            encourages more applicants to sign up for the
     organised an outdoor activity called 'Bond          AEP in order to expand the opportunities for the
     through Camp’. She hoped the camp would             community, "This grant is open to everybody.
     help families with similar circumstances forge      I’d really encourage other parents to take
     friendship with one another while experiencing      action, grab the opportunity and create more
     an outdoor adventure together.                      possibilities for the autism community through
                                                         this helpful grant.”

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                                                                                                                                                                  All photos by Ng Chrong Meng
President Halimah Yacob,
                                                                                                                                          Patron of SportCares, trying out
                                                                                                                                           tandem running with members
                                                                                                                                                       from Runninghour.

                                                                                                                                                 National para badminton
                                                                                                                                            player, Toh Bee Tin, trying out
                                                                                                                                            wheelchair fencing at ISF 2018

     INCLUSIVE SPORTS FESTIVAL 2018
     Connecting Hearts
     Cheered on and encouraged by the inclusive ambassador, Luke (named changed to protect his identity) firmly
     held on to the bat and decided to try out table tennis for the first time at the Inclusive Sports Festival this year.
     Feeling ecstatic after managing to hit the ball, he turned around and gave his broadest smile to the inclusive
     ambassador.

     Moments such as Luke’s interaction with the inclusive ambassador remind us that sport is not just a tale of
     winning and losing. It is also a tale of magnanimity and chivalry for meaningful connections and care.

                                                                                                                             Making water sports like canoeing accessible
                                                                                                                                   and enjoyable to people of all abilities

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                                                                                                                                            All photos by Sport Singapore
Going the extra mile to
     help build a more civic minded
     community beyond their event
                                                        Always
                                                        there!
            duties on National Day.

                                                       O      ver 3,000 Team Nila
                                                              volunteers from all walks
                                                        of life stepped forward to keep
                                                        the event up and running across
                                                        the island for over 13 days!
                                                        Many of them have participated
                                                        in GetActive! Singapore for at
                                                        least two years and 96% said
                                                        they are interested to return
                                                        again in 2019.

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                                      All photos by Bernard Lui, Leong Ah Chai and Soh Chui Lian
COMING TOGETHER
     TO CELEBRATE
     THROUGH SPORT
     Harmony Games 2018
     This year’s theme, “Regardless, We are One”
     promoted racial harmony and social cohesion
     by reaching out to different religious groups.

                                                          Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community
                                                             and Youth trying out archery with religious
                                                                  groups during Harmony Games 2018.

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                                                      Photo by Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
Residents of Ang Mo Kio on their feet with GetActive! Singapore Workout.

                                                                                                                                      Families and friends came together
                                                                                                                                      to personalize their own GetActive!
                                                                                             Team Nila volunteer leading Punggol      Singapore Grand Prix vehicles and
                                                                                              residents in a stretching exercise at   race against one another!
                                                                                            the Funtastic Sports Festival that was
     Wishing Singapore Happy 53rd Birthday at the                                             organized by Team Nila volunteers.
     GetActive! Singapore Sports Festival at Little India.

                                                                               Participants enjoying a MasterFIT Chair Workout at
                                                                               GetActive! Singapore Sports Festival at Chinatown.

                                                                etActive!Singapore
                                                                         Sports Festivals
     Boys from ActiveSG Football Academy having
                                                             B  ringing National Day festivities to more Singaporeans and our foreign friends around the island
                                                                with 13 GetActive! Singapore Sports festivals, including six new locations at the Singapore
                                                             Sports Hub, Chinatown, Little India, Geylang Serai, Sembawang and the Singapore Turf Club.
     a good time playing at the National Stadium.

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                                                                                                            All photos by Albert See, Lee Huei Chern, Ng Chrong Meng and SK Teck
SINGAPORE
     NATIONAL GAMES
     Bringing community athletes from all walks
     of life to train together and to compete in
     a total of 30 sports this year – 22 sports and
     8 para sports. More than 18,000 people
     competed and had fun. An all time record!

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                                                      All photos by Foo Tee Fok, Leong Ah Chai and Sport Singapore
All photos by Foo Tee Fok, Julian Enriquez,
30                                                 31
                  Ken Chia and Sport Singapore
All photos by Abd Rahman, Chris Ang,
32                                          33
      Teo Wei Keong and Sport Singapore
Sense of belonging & pride                                                                                  at 162cm and weighing in at 57kg now, Jin Yi’s athletic lean build is a result of early morning
                                                                                                                 intensive rides a few days each week. His heart’s desire is to don the national jersey one day and
                                                                                                                 represent Singapore on the world stage.

                                                                                                                 Accidents are not uncommon as well. Wan Chai, a foreigner from Myanmar, is currently studying in
     W     ith a vision for cyclists to have the opportunity to experience how full time professional cyclists
           train, Alaric, 20, started a racing group – Yap Bicycle Compania (YBCO) Racing so named
     because of its sponsor Yap Bicycle Compania. Since their formation a few years ago, the cycling
                                                                                                                 Singapore and part of the youth team. He shared that he has crashed while training and competing
                                                                                                                 previously, but still with dogged determination pressed on in his pursuit of excellence.
     group has competed in local and overseas competitions and recognized GetActive! Singapore
     National Games (SNG) 2018 as an important milestone in their podium pursuits. “What keeps me                As part of their training regime for SNG 2018’s RIBA, the teams train at Seletar and Mandai area
     motivated is the team possessing the teamwork to have one person up on the podium,” Alaric                  which is also a training hotspot for cycling enthusiasts where they would repeat laps on the roads.
     shared his vision for the team in competitions.
                                                                                                                 Belonging to YBCO Cycling Group has also forged strong friendships between the cyclists. Through
     Some cycling competition formats require the team to work together so as to set up an individual –          cycling, they have also seen the good in Singaporeans – the kampong spirit as one of them coined.
     the sprinter to win the race. Setting their sights on SNG 2018’s Round Island Bike Adventure (RIBA),        “There are times that we got into accidents while training and we were pleasantly surprised by
     YBCO sent two teams to compete in the categories of Team Youth (14 to 21 years old) and Corporate           passing vehicles such as taxi drivers who would slowed down, stopped and asked us if we are okay.
     Team (14 years old and above). Comprising of students and working adults, YBCO Racing trains three          Times when we may be resting by the side of the road and cars would pull over and give us water.”
     to four days a week clocking up to 120km each session. Some of them even put in training in the wee
     hours of the morning to ensure they have clocked their miles for the day.                                   At the time of interview, the team targeted to come in first during SNG 2018 RIBA. They have also
                                                                                                                 set their eyes on overseas training camps after SNG to develop their cycling fitness and aim to
     Jin Yi from the Youth team who is a student of ITE Campus East recently won the National Team Time          continue competing in local and overseas competitions as part of their pursuit of cycling dreams.
     Trial earlier this year. Success did not come easy though as he has to fit his training around his school
     commitments. There was another sweet victory apart from podium success as Jin Yi recounted his
     health and fitness accomplishments. “I lost 18kg from cycling where I was 75kg in the past.” Standing

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                                                                                                                                                                                                      Photo by Eugene Lim
ational Pride
     We Are Singapore                                 to volunteer as he sees this experience as an
                                                      honour and privilege.                              T   he journey was not without challenges
                                                                                                             though. Four months of commitment to
                                                                                                                                                          and march with pride required strong teamwork.
                                                                                                                                                          It would be obvious if one is off. I did not have

     T   he One TeamSG NDP Marching Contingent                                                           training was no easy feat as the volunteers      the privilege to have prior basic knowledge
         brought together Team Nila Volunteers who    “As a tiny red dot with no natural resources       had to sacrifice personal and family             of marching drills, nor did I understand the
     were proud to participate in the National Day    we’ve shown the world what a united people         commitments. Not everyone had prior              commands. But, in the end, all the hard work
     Parade. They trained hard for four months and    can do regardless of race, language or religion.   marching experience either.                      paid off.”
     forged strong camaraderie among themselves       We come from different age groups, from
                                                      students to working adults and active retirees.    Ai Ping recounted,“One of the challenges for     When asked if they would do this again, “Yes
     and other contingents too.
                                                                                                                                                          most definitely”, Nallakaruppan reflected, “The
                                                      The different races, be it Chinese, Malays or      a marching contingent was to have everyone
                                                                                                                                                          time spent together and the friendships we’ve
     S.Nallakaruppan, 54, an investment specialist,   Indians marched together as one. The One           march in perfect step and arm swing. Making      built over the past few months is most certainly
     shared how he jumped on this opportunity         TeamSG contingent is like a microcosm of what      sure every member plays their part so that the   something which money cannot buy.”
                                                      Singapore is and what it can do.“                  entire One TeamSG would stand tall, look good

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                                                                                                                                                                                  All photos by Ng Chrong Meng
etActive!Singapore finale
     T  he finale of GetActive! Singapore 2018 saw
        more than 3,000 pre-schoolers turn up for a
     unique sports day to celebrate National Day at
                                                         are very important in life, [such as] resilience,
                                                         determination, and discipline - things that are
                                                         not taught in textbooks.”
     our National Stadium.
                                                         ”We want our children to have a strong
     Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community        foundation so they can reach out for the world
     and Youth, joined the children for the GetActive!   and be the best they can be. And for them to
     Singapore Workout, which was choreographed          do that, we need them to grow up physically
     to this year‘s National Day theme song, “We Are     and mentally strong. Sports and exercising are
     Singapore”.                                         great ways to do that.“

     Soaking up the energy exuded by the
     boisterous children, Ms Grace Fu said: “Sport
     is a wonderful way to teach a lot of values that

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                                                                                                             All photos by Ng Chrong Meng
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     All photos by Chiang Hock Woon and Ng Chrong Meng
The city
                                     comes alive with
                                    FOOTBALL!

42
     All photos by Ng Chrong Meng
CHEER:
     A FIESTA FOR FANS
     Football fans in Singapore were treated to a fiesta
     of amazing football with live screenings of the
     FIFA World Cup 2018 and the staging of the annual
     International Champions Cup. Hereʻs a snapshot of all
     the action at the Singapore Sports Hub, Resorts World
     Sentosa, community centres, fast food outlets, hotels,
     restaurants and bars. We were all left wanting more.

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                                                              Photo by Bernard Woon
CHIJMES   RESORTS
               WORLD SENTOSA

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                               All photos by Andy Pascua and Ng Chrong Meng
COMMUNITY SPACES
     Sports Hub • Our Tampines Hub • Sports Centre

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                                                     All photos by Suki Singh and Sports Hub
INTERNATIONAL
     CHAMPIONS CUP
     SINGAPORE 2018

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                      All photos by Stanley Cheah, Samuel Dai and Lim Sau Boon
PLAY:
     SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT
     THE SINGAPORE FOOTBALL FESTIVAL
     The Singapore Football Festival returned for its second
     year from 14 June to 30 July. This year it attracted over
     150,000 people through 45 island-wide activities. From
     serious competitors to people just wanting to get in on
     the action, families and friends came together to enjoy
     the diverse offerings on site. At the end of the day, it
     was all about having fun.

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                                                                 Photo by Ng Chrong Meng
FOR FAMILIES,
     FRIENDS & FOODIES

                         FOR FOOTBALL
                         ENTHUSIASTS
                         Masters • Youth • Women

                                                   All photos by Ben Cho, Dyan Tjhia, Ng Chrong Meng,
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                                                                           Mohamed Ali and Suki Singh
OUR PEOPLE,
                                                                                   Our Spirit
                                                      In sport, as in any other area of human effort, the first thing
                                                     we remember, and the last thing we forget, is the spirit of the
                                                        endeavour. The veteran who defies the years and the nay-
                                                          sayers. The athlete who perseveres despite all the odds.
                                                         The communities that form around the common sense of
                                                      purpose. They are all around us and here are some of them.

56
     All photos by Dyan Tjhia,Suki Singh and SCOGA
It’s an Honour
                       LIM WEI WEN,
             TEAM SINGAPORE FENCER

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        Photo by Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee
“I    t’s an honour ... to represent Singapore.”
           This sums up Lim Wei Wen’s motivation
      for wanting to be a Team Singapore fencer.
                                                         a year of picking up the sport, he achieved a
                                                         third placing at the Thai Open. He caught the
                                                         eye of former national epee coach, the late
     It is this driving ambition and self-belief that    Alexy Karpov, who invited Wei Wen to join the
     propelled Wei Wen to the top of the national        national fencing squad as a sparring partner.
     fencing scene.
                                                         It was an honour Wei Wen instinctively
     The strapping athlete has a simple way about        craved, but pride soon gave way to self-doubt.
     him that belies the depth of emotion and            He found it difficult to integrate into the squad.
     struggle that has marked his life. Coming           “Other fencers asked me, “What are you
     from a broken home, cared for by grandparents,      doing here?” I felt I was not good enough and
     Wei Wen did not have a good start in life.          wanted to quit.” Urging him on with ”Earn your
     He vividly remembers feeling an outcast at his      place!”, Karpov made a deal with him: he would
     first day in primary school. “The teachers asked    personally train Wei Wen everyday at 7am at the
     me, “Where are your parents?” I told them,          void deck of Wei Wen’s home.
     “I have no parents.”” One would not imagine,
     given his background, that he would excel in a      An unlikely place to find a future champion,
     sport reminiscent of European bourgeoisie.          don’t you think, but Karpov’s faith in Wei Wen
                                                         paid off. At his first senior outing at the 2007
     The opportunity arose in a roundabout fashion.      SEA Games in Korat, Thailand, Wei Wen earned
     He enrolled in ITE so he could play tennis, but     a silver medal. Other successes followed, most
     switched to fencing when he was told no tennis      notably Singapore’s first Asian Games fencing
     programme was available. That marked the            medal — a bronze — at the 2014 Games.
     start of an amazing journey of both triumph
     and anguish. Parents of the other students          Wei Wen is currently taking a break from
     instructed their children to avoid him because      competitive fencing. He cherishes the faith
     he was not a “good boy”, a judgment that            that people throughout his life have placed
                                                                                                              Be moved by Wei Wenʻs
     became self-fulfilling: he joined a gang, played    in him: his grandparents, his teacher at ITE,        inspiring life story by simply
     truant, spent his time at gaming outlets, and got   the policeman that gave him a chance when he         scanning the QR code.
     into fights. But he had a competitive streak that   was caught peddling illegal VCDs, and Karpov.
     probably saved him: by age 17, he had become        He is proud to have represented his country and
     a professional gamer of some repute.                grateful to people who have helped him along
                                                         the way.
     Fortunately for Team Singapore, Wei Wen
     ultimately chose fencing over gaming, even          “No matter who you are, there are people who
     giving up the opportunity to represent              will reach out to you as long as you respond.
     Singapore in a world gaming tournament.             I believe in our people and in our country.”
     His rise in his new love was meteoric: within

60                                                                                                                                                                                        61
                                                                                                                                               All photos by Abd Rahman and Seah Junwei
Bringing Singaporeans
     together through climbing
     ONG TZE BOON
                                                                Ong Teng Cheong Peak (4,743m)

               Ong Siew May Peak (4,451m)

             “It would be a wondrous thing if these
             mountains captured the imagination of
                                                        The Ong Teng Cheong (OTC) Peak (4,743m) in Kazakhstan, and the Ong Siew
              the Singapore masses and occupied a       May (OSM) Peak (4,451m) in Kyrgyzstan, are the only two mountain peaks in
              cherished spot in their bucket lists of   the world named after individuals not from within the country.
                 must-do personal pilgrimages.”
                           – Lawrence Thaddeus

62                                                                                                                                           63
                                                                                                                     Photo by Ong Tze Boon
T   he Ong Teng Cheong (OTC) Peak (4,743m)
                                                            in Kazakhstan, and the Ong Siew May
                                                        (OSM) Peak (4,451m) in Kyrgyzstan, are the only
                                                                                                           Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation
                                                                                                           of Kazakhstan. OTC Peak was recognised by the
                                                                                                           Kyrgyzstani government on 28 June 2017; OSM
                                                        two mountain peaks in the world named after        Peak was recognised in May 2018.
                                                        individuals not from within the country. How did
                                                        this come about?                                   To celebrate these achievements, the Ong
                                                                                                           Foundation organised an expedition to both
                                                        Avid adventurer Ong Tze Boon is the younger        peaks over the National Day period this year.
                                                        son of Singapore’s fifth president, the late Ong   The team comprising 18 commercial climbers
                                                        Teng Cheong, and his wife, the late Ong Siew       was guided by Edwin Siew and Lim Kim Boon
                                                        May. In 2015, Tze Boon came across David Lim,      — both part of the first Singapore team to
     Expedition Team of 18 on Summit of OSM Peak        Singapore’s first (1998) Mount Everest             summit Mount Everest in 1998. A particularly
     against the backdrop of OTC Peak.                  expedition team leader’s alpine achievements       heart-warming moment was when the song
     The Team consisted of: Ong Tze Boon, Edwin         in Kazakhstan. In 2005, David had climbed          ’Home‘ was played in the mountains with the
     Siew, Lim Kim Boon, Elim Chew, Glenda Chong,       a yet-unnamed mountain in Kazakhstan,              18 climbers present.
     Marie Choo, Regine Ang, Sophia Ang, Jena
     Tong, Su Lin, Linda Tan, Joanne Soo, Joel Chang,   and subsequently resolved to name the
     Lawrence Thaddeus, Bennett Neo, Yu Phing,          peak after Ong Teng Cheong, in honour of           Elim Chew, founder of 77th Street, was one of
     Yeok Nguan & Yu Joe                                his contributions as patron of their Mount         the climbers. “It’s because of my friendship
                                                        Everest expedition.                                with Ong Tze Boon for 16 years. I believe this is
                                                                                                           important to him as the mountains are named
                                                        But the peak’s Global Positioning System           after his parents. To honour the contributions
                                                        (GPS) coordinates were inaccurate, so              of his parents to Singapore by climbing to the
                                                        Tze Boon reached out to Lim Kim Boon,              summit of the mountains named after them on
                                                        a veteran Singapore mountaineer. Armed             National day is very apt.”
                                                        with mountaineering expertise and modern
                                                        navigation equipment, they climbed and             Lawrence Thaddeus, founder of Runaway
                                                        validated the GPS coordinates and altitude of      Success, shared similar sentiments: “When the
                                                        the peak that same year.                           opportunity to climb two mountains named
                                                                                                           after our beloved Former President and his wife
                                                        On that expedition they spotted an adjacent        with one of their sons on Singapore’s birthday
                                                        virgin peak. Tze Boon thought that climbing        presented itself, I simply could not resist the call.
                                                        that peak and naming it in honour of his mother    The significance of where we were going, with
                                                        would make a fitting love story: two adjacent      whom, and when, struck deep.”
                                                        peaks, one named after Singapore’s first elected
                                                        president, the other named after his wife, Tze     Tze Boon detailed how the Ong Foundation is
                                                        Boon’s mother. So they climbed and validated       committed to organising and co-funding more
                                                        the second peak too.                               expeditions to the OTC & OSM peaks, to bring
                                                                                                           more Singaporeans together through climbing.
                                                        Thus began Tze Boon’s three-year quest to get
                                                        the OTC and OSM Peaks recognised by the

     Returning back to base camp after the OTC Peak

64                                                                                                                                                                  65
     All photos by Lorem Ipsum                                                                                                         All photos by Ong Tze Boon
Flying the
     Singapore Flag
     SNG PUAY LIANG

       Mr Sng officiating at Asian Games 2018
       as a judge for the Horizontal Bar event.

     Flying the Singapore Flag
     SNG PUAY LIANG

     S  ng Puay Liang is a Singapore Gymnastics
        National Technical Official, and an
     international-level official in the sport.
                                                        As an official, his service in the background is
                                                        what enables others to achieve. He takes pride
                                                        in that. Being an official has also tested his
     His involvement with gymnastics spans              mettle. When faced with behind-the-scenes
     many decades.                                      officiating difficulties at one Commonwealth
                                                        Games competition, Puay Liang had to call upon
     Puay Liang’s interest in gymnastics began in the   all his resolve, discipline and focus to overcome
     1970s, when he was in primary school, under        a dispute. He feels he has emerged stronger and     Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted with permission

     the tutorship of his physical education teacher.   has learnt much from working in competitive
     “I didn’t know what it was called back then,
     but I was attracted to all the fantastic and
                                                        events abroad; the most recent being the 2018
                                                        Asian Games in Indonesia. “I am proud to            Unflagging spirit                                                                         of 10. He has certainly lived a full and meaningful
     interesting things that I saw like balancing       represent Singapore in any way that I can.”                                                                                                   life, with more still to come.
     and walking on your hands and somersaults.”
     In secondary school he started training in         Today, Puay Liang is also the Founder, Owner
                                                                                                            at any age                                                                                Mr Gill has not played cricket and hockey for
     earnest. With hard work, dedication, and           and Head Coach of the successful BazGym             AJIT SINGH GILL                                                                           some time but still competes in golf and race-
     sacrifice, he first represented his school and     Gymnastics School, with three locations in                                                                                                    walking! His attitude towards competitive sport
     then his country in international competitions.

     When asked about his proudest moment in
                                                        Singapore and Bali, Indonesia. He expresses his
                                                        unwavering belief in the power of gymnastics
                                                        as a foundation for other sports and athletic
                                                                                                            C   ame to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur,
                                                                                                                Malaysia to pursue his sporting dreams.
                                                                                                            Survived the Japanese Occupation. Is now
                                                                                                                                                                                                      is mirrored in other aspects of his life. Challenges
                                                                                                                                                                                                      are lessons to be learned and opportunities to
                                                                                                                                                                                                      be grasped. His motto, what has kept him going
     the sport, he instantly lights up and names the    pursuits. He is committed to continue to fly        the oldest Olympian in Singapore. He moved                                                all these years, is: “Dare to dream, never say die,
     Women Team’s silver-medal win at the 2003          the Singapore flag by enabling generations of       to Singapore in 1953, and represented us in                                               and stay rooted in your values and principles”.
     SEA Games. He remembers the occasion vividly,      gymnasts to succeed.                                hockey at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
     because of both the team’s underdog-billing                                                                                                                                                      His advice for the younger generation is to
     and the unstinting work the team put in.                                                               Today, Mr Ajit Singh Gill is 90, has been married                                         "Stay focused, be disciplined, be positive...
                                                                                                            for 51 years, is a father of five, and a grandfather                                      and eat healthily” — that last with a grin.

66                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           67
                                                                                                                                                                                                All photos by Kannan Arumugam, Sng Puay Liang and Shaun Ho
3 generations of BMX enthusiasts
     Mas Ridzwan (pictured 3rd from left), Ariff Jufri (pictured 4th from left),
     Azman Omar (pictured 4th from right)

                                                                                                                                 ASIAN GAMES 2018
     You lift me up
     MAS RIDZWAN, ARIFF JUFRI, AZMAN OMAR

     V   ery few people would consider BMX racing
         a popular, bustling sport today – let alone
     one likely to fly Singapore’s flag abroad – watch
                                                                          In an equally impressive feat, veteran racer and
                                                                          former national elite BMX rider Ariff Jufri was
                                                                          crowned champion at the Indian qualifiers of the
     this space! Once upon a time the sport saw                           2018 Red Bull Pump Track World Championship.
     hundreds of riders congregating every weekend
     at a racing track in Tuas. Building on that legacy,                  Common to both is team Tuah BMX Racing,
     and spurred by a sense of community, BMX                             started in 2012 by Azman Omar who ‘eats,
     racing is seeing a revival.                                          breathes and sleeps’ BMX Racing. Mas started
                                                                          his racing career there, while Ariff nurtures future
     This year, 15-year-old Singaporean Mas                               talents. With his team, Azman is encouraging
     Ridzwan came in first at the Malaysian BMX                           up-and-coming riders to train and bond every
     Youth National Championship series, and                              weekend. The simple but universal concept
     subsequently represented Singapore at the                            of community–generations of people from
     UCI BMX Racing World Championship in Baku,                           different ages, backgrounds, and motivations
     Azerbaijan.                                                          united by a common passion–is central to
                                                                          these Team Singapore athletes.

68
     Photo by Song Jing
THE 18TH ASIAN GAMES
     OPENS IN JAKARTA!

70                                                     71
                            Photo by Sport Singapore
T   he 18th Asian Games took place in Jakarta
                                                         and Palembang, Indonesia, from
                                                     18 August to 2 September 2018. This was the
                                                                                                         Team Singapore had their largest-ever Asian
                                                                                                         Games contingent — 264 athletes — comprising
                                                                                                         65 veterans and 199 debutants. We competed
                                                     first time the Games was held in two cities.        in 23 sports and won 4 golds, 4 silvers and 14
                                                     A total of 45 nations competed in 462 events        bronzes for a total of 22 medals, finishing 18th
                                                     across 40 sports. Artistic Swimming, Contract       on the medal table.
                                                     Bridge, Jujitsu, Paragliding, Pencak Silat and
                                                     Sport Climbing made their debut at the Games.       50% of these medals were won by our
                                                                                                         spexScholars, while debutants contributed 15
                                                     Singapore is one of only seven countries            medals. In addition, Team Singapore athletes set
                                                     (India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore,   1 Games Record, broke 8 National Records, and
                                                     Sri Lanka, and Thailand) which had competed in      achieved 16 Personal Bests.
                                                     all 18 Asian Games since 1951.

                                                     Team Singapore had their largest-ever Asian Games
                                                             contingent — 264 athletes — comprising
                                                     65 veterans and 199 debutants. We competed
                                                      in 23 sports and won 4 golds, 4 silvers and
                                                     14 bronzes for a total of 22 medals, finishing
                                                                                 18th on the medal table.

                                                          The flag-bearer for the Team Singapore contingent was gymnast
                                                         Hoe Wah Toon. His main wish? “All of us just want to do our best.
                                                         I hope that everyone does the best that they can do, maybe break
                                                           some personal records and achieve new personal milestones.”

     Asian Games flag bearer, gymnast Hoe Wah Toon

72                                                                                                                                                              73
                                                                                                                                     Photo by Sport Singapore
AQUATICS:                                                                                           AQUATICS:
     ARTISTIC SWIMMING                                                                                   DIVING
     Debbie Soh and Rachel Thean                                                                         Freida Lim and Myra Lee
     This was the first Asian Games for the pair, and they achieved a Personal Best score of 149.9593.   In the Women’s Synchronised 10m Platform, 20-year-old Freida Lim, who is based at the University
                                                                                                         of Georgia, partnered with Myra Lee for the first time at this event. They achieved a Personal Best
                                                                                                         score of 258.90 to finish the competition in a credible 6th position.

                                                                                                                                                                                         All photos by Andy Chua/
74                                                                                                                                                                                                                  75
                                                                                                                                                                                        SNOC and Sport Singapore
AQUATICS:                                                                                         Joseph Schooling
     SWIMMING                                                                                          Joseph Schooling joins Remy Ong (Bowling) and   Freestyle Relay. In both events the relay team
                                                                                                       Neo Chwee Kok (Swimming) as the only athletes   set new National Records.
     Swimming delivered its best-ever result at      Swimming produced one Asian Games Record,         from Singapore to have won three or more gold
     an Asian Games since Singapore became a         seven National Records, and 15 Personal Best      medals at the Asian Games.                      In Asian Games competition Joseph has won
     republic: 6 medals, comprising two golds, one   performances for Singapore. Also, Singapore won                                                   three gold, one silver and three bronze medals
     silver, and three bronzes. This means Team      its 60 th swimming medal at Asian Games 2018 to   Joseph won gold medals in the 50m and 100m      to become Singapore’s most successful athlete,
     Singapore was placed third on the swimming      become Singapore’s most medalled sport.           Butterfly and broke the Asian Games record      surpassing Remy Ong and Neo Chee Kok who
     medals table, behind Japan and China who                                                          in the 100m Butterfly with a time of 51.04s.    previously held the record of five medals at the
     between them won every gold medal bar three                                                       He also won two bronze medals in the Men’s 4    Asian Games
     (two went to Singapore, one to Korea).                                                            x 200m Freestyle Relay and the Men’s 4 x 100m

76                                                                                                                                                                                                             77
                                                                                                                                                                               All photos by Sport Singapore
Roanne Ho
     The miracle girl who overcame a life-threatening lung problem to retain her gold medal in the 50m
     Breaststroke at the SEA Games in KL last year continued to show unwavering spirit to win a silver
     medal in the 50m Breaststroke, with a National Record time of 31.23s. This is Singapore’s first-ever
     medal in Breaststroke.

78                                                                                                                79
                                                                                  All photos by Sport Singapore
FACING PAGE, TOP

     Menʻs 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay
     Quah Zheng Wen, Joseph Schooling, Darren Chua and Darren Lim
     The Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay team won a bronze medal. The relay team set a new National
     Record in a time of 3:17.22. As the lead off swimmer, Quah Zheng Wen swam a Personal Best time
     of 49.64.

     FACING PAGE, BOTTOM

     Menʻs 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay
     Danny Yeo, Joseph Schooling, Jonathan Tan and Quah Zheng Wen
     The Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay team won a bronze medal. They also set a new National Record
     of 7:14.15m. Quah Zheng Wen swam a Personal Best time of 1:48.31.

     TOP

     Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay
     Hoong En Qi, Samantha Yeo, Quah Jing Wen and Quah Ting Wen
     The Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay team won a bronze medal. 19-year-old Hoong En Qi swam
     a Personal Best time of 1:04.06.

80                                                                               All photos by Andy Chua/   81
                                                                                SNOC and Sport Singapore
TOP

     Gan Ching Hwee
     15-year-old Gan Ching Hwee swam her Personal Best to break the 1500m Freestyle National Record
     set in 2009.

     BOTTOM
     Glen Lim                                                                                           ATHLETICS
     16-year-old Glen broke his own 800m Freestyle National Record by four seconds. He set a Personal   Dipna Lim-Prasad
     Best in the 1500m Freestyle too.
                                                                                                        In Athletics, Dipna Prasad achieved a new Personal Best time and set a new National Record with
                                                                                                        a time of 58.93s in the Women’s 400m Hurdles.

82                                                                                                                                                                                  All photos by Peh Siong San/   83
                                                                                                                                                                                     SNOC and Sport Singapore
BOWLING
     Men’s Trios team                                                                                    Women’s Trios team
     Muhammad Jaris Goh, Darren Ong, Alex Chong                                                          Bernice Lim, Joey Yeo and Daphne Tan
     The Men’s Trios team out-bowled fierce competition to clinch an unexpected bronze medal. This was   The Women’s Trios team won the bronze medal, maintaining the tradition of at least one Asian
     Singapore’s first medal from the event since 2002.                                                  Games medal for Singapore in bowling since 2010.

84                                                                                                                                                                                                                 85
                                                                                                                                                                                   All photos by Sport Singapore
FACING PAGE, TOP

     CANOE
     Mervyn Toh
     In a historic moment for Singapore, Mervyn finished first in his heats then maintained the pace
     in the finals to deliver a bronze medal, becoming the first Singaporean canoeist to do so at the
     Asian Games.

     FACING PAGE, BOTTOM

     CONTRACT BRIDGE
     Fong Kien Hoong, Zhang Yukun, Loo Choon Chou, Poon Hua,
     Kelvin Ong and Desmond Oh
     The Contract Bridge Team beat the competition to win a gold medal for Singapore, in the game’s
     first-ever inclusion at the Asian Games!

     TOP

     FENCING:
     WOMENʻS FOIL
     Melanie Huang, Amita Berthier, Maxine Wong and Tatiana Wong
     The Women’s Foil Team won a bronze medal. This was the first team medal in Fencing at an Asian
     Games for Singapore and only the second medal ever. The first was a bronze by Lim Wei Wen in
     2014 in the Individual Epee (see article ’It’s an Honour’ under Our People, Our Spirit).

86                                                                                                                87
                                                                                  All photos by Sport Singapore
Sheik Ferdous Bin
     Sheik Alauʻddin
     The excitement was
     definitely justified,
     for Sheik Ferdous went on
     to win a silver medal in the
     Men’s Tanding Class I.

                                      Siti Khadijah
                                      Binte Mohd Shahrem
                                      Siti Khadijah, competing in the
                                      Women’s Tanding Class C,
                                      made sure she brought home a
     Nurzuhairah                      bronze medal for Singapore.

     Binte Mohd Yazid
     Nurzuhairah won the silver
     medal in Women’s Tunggal
     with an artistic score of 445.

     Nurul Shafiqah
     Binte Mohd Saiful
     Nurul Shafiqah won a                                                                                               Sheik Farhan
     bronze medal in the
     Women’s Tanding                                                                                              Bin Sheik Alauʻddin
     Class B.                                                                                                    Sheik Farhan out-fought his
                                                                                                            opponent to win a bronze medal
                                                                                                               in the Men‘s Tanding Class J.

                                      PENCAK SILAT
                                      Pencak Silat, a class of related Indonesian martial arts involving competitive full-body fighting, was
                                      included in the Asian Games for the first time. Singapore won five medals overall: two silvers and
                                      three bronzes.

88                                                                                                                                                   89
                                                                                                                     All photos by Sport Singapore
SAILING
     Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low                                                                       Ryan Lo
     Kimberly and Cecilia maintained a comfortable lead throughout all 15 races of the Women’s 49erFX   Ryan won a bronze medal in the Laser Standard class in Sailing. He completed his National Service
     to secure the gold medal. Talk about smooth sailing.                                               only in July, but was given time off to train for and compete in the lead-up to the Asian Games. Now
                                                                                                        that he has completed his National Service, his next goal is qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games.

90                                                                                                                                                                                                                  91
                                                                                                                                                                                    All photos by Sport Singapore
Muhammad Aʻfif Bin Safiee
     Competing in the Men’s Regu semifinals against Malaysia.

     SEPAK TAKRAW                                                                                      TABLE TENNIS
     Men's Regu and Quadrant team                                                                      Yu Mengyu
     Displaying stunning skills on the court, our Sepak Takraw players earned two bronze medals, one   Mengyu spent the last two years struggling with injuries but managed to surpass her own
     each in the Men’s Regu and Quadrant events, surpassing their previous Asian Games performance     expectations to win a joint bronze medal in the Table Tennis Women’s Singles. This is her first
     of one bronze.                                                                                    Singles medal at the Asian Games.

     Men’s Regu team: Mohamad Farhan Bin Amran, Muhammad A’fif Bin Safiee, Muhammad Asri Bin
     Aron, Muhammad Farhan Bin Aman and Asfandi Bin Ja'al

     Quadrant team: Mohamad Farhan Bin Amran, Muhammad A’fif Bin Safiee, Muhammad Asri Bin
     Aron, Mohamad Alhaj Bin Kasmanani, Muhammad Farhan Bin Aman, Muhammad Khairilshamy Bin
     Shamsudin

92                                                                                                                                                                                                             93
                                                                                                                                                                               All photos by Sport Singapore
CANOE:
     AQUATICS:                                                             TRADITIONAL BOAT RACE
     DIVING
                                            Jonathan Chan Fan Keng and     Women’s Team
     Fong Kay Yian and Ashlee Tan Yi Xuan   Joshua James Chong

     AQUATICS:
     WATER POLO
                                                                           CYCLING:
     Loh Zhi Zhi                                                           TRACK                   EQUESTRIAN
                                                                           Luo Yiwei               Alla Poloumieva

                                                        ARCHERY                                                        FENCING
                                                        Alan Lee Chung                                                 Lau Ywen
                                                        Hee and Contessa
                                                        Loh Tze Chieh

94                                                                                                                                                   95
                                                                                                                     All photos by Sport Singapore
GOLF
     Gregory Raymund
     Foo Yong En

                                                                                  RUGBY 7S                           SHOOTING
                                                                                  Women's Team                       Martina Lindsay P Veloso
                                   GYMNASTICS
                                   Terry Tay Wei-An

                                                                                  SPORT
     JUJITSU                                                                      CLIMBING              SQUASH
     Quek Kon Hui                                                                 Emmanuel Ryan Paul   Pang Ka Hoe

     PARAGLIDING
     Jessica Goh Soo Fen

                                                                                                                                      WUSHU
                                                                                                                                      Jowen Lim Si Wei

                           ROWING
                           Joan Poh Xue Hua

                                                                                                                                      All photos by Peh Siong San/
96                                                                                                                                                                   97
                                                  All photos by Sport Singapore                                                        SNOC and Sport Singapore
The 2018
                                                                                                                             WORLD
                                                                                                                     CITIES SUMMIT
     TEAM BEHIND THE TEAM                                                                                      ’Liveable & Sustainable Cities: Embracing the Future through
                                                                                                                  Innovation & Collaboration‘, presented the stage for Sport

     Prestigious award bodes
                                                                                                                   Singapore to host a lively discussion on developing social
                                                          I was actually quite surprised to hear I’d won it!                   resilience through sport and physical activity.
     well for sport science and                           It’s an honour as it’s a rare award in the Asian
                                                          sporting community, presented once every                  This year’s Summit, held from 8-12 July, was the sixth in
     medicine in Singapore                                four years during the Asian Games Olympic               the series and saw 24,000 trade attendees from 128 cities
                                                          Council assembly.”                                              representing 125 countries and regions attending.

     It is a prestigious award that rolls around once
      every four years, during the Asian Games.
     Every National Olympic Council can nominate
                                                          Noting that this award served as affirmation
                                                          of Singapore’s standing in the sport science
     only one individual or organisation for it. Each     and medicine community, he also expressed
     edition of the award yields one individual and       hope it would motivate other sport science and
     one group winner.                                    medicine experts in Singapore.

     This year, the individual prize for the 6th Sheikh   ”With or without the awards, though, we’re
     Fahad Hiroshima-Asia Sports Medicine and             always seeking new ways to innovate. We have
     Science Award was awarded to the Singapore           to move with the times and the progress of the
     Sport Institute’s Head of Sport Science &            athletes and coaches, to go alongside them and
     Medicine Centre, Dr. Frankie Tan, who is also        do our best to help improve their daily training
     its Principal Sport Physiologist.                    environment and, ultimately, their performance.
                                                          We can then keep inspiring ourselves to
     Frankie explained, “It is an award to promote        continue on our journey towards excellence,
     the continued development of sport medicine          signifying our effectiveness and ability to
     and science in Asia through the recognition of       value-add to the athletes”, he said.
     accomplished individuals or groups in the field.

98
         Photo by Sport Singapore
From left to right: Dr Gillian Koh (Deputy Director (Research), Institute of Policy Studies), Lim Teck Yin (CEO, Sport Singapore),
      Tove Okunniwa (CEO, London Sport UK), Sarah Sandley (CEO, Auckland Aktive NZ), David Portas (Founder, Portas Consulting)

      SOCIAL RESILIENCE THROUGH                                                                                                            WORLD CITY SUMMIT 2018 AT A GLANCE
      SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY                                                                                                          Over

      S  port Singapore collaborated with the Centre                   models and comparisons across the three cities,
                                                                                                                                                                     Over
         for Liveable Cities to organise a conference                  and the strategies for investments in people and
      on the theme of ’Social Resilience Through                       infrastructure.
      Sport and Physical Activity‘. Perspectives
      were shared on how ’Active Citizens‘ enable                      At the Singapore Pavilion visitors were updated
      resilient communities to form by virtue of their                 on the latest developments in Singapore sport
                                                                       and sampled advice on Active Health by our
      contribution to overall societal health and
                                                                       Booth Ambassadors. Together with the People’s
                                                                                                                                                   DID YOU KNOW
      wellness, and social connection.
                                                                       Association, we also co-hosted Summit delegates
                                                                       to a guided tour of Our Tampines Hub.                                      4 out of 10 Singaporeans and Permanent
      The conference was briefed on the findings
                                                                                                                                                  Residents meet 150 moderate intensity
      of the inaugural “Active Citizens Worldwide”                                                                                                                                                    Visit activecitizens.world/
                                                                                                                                                  equivalent minutes of sport and physical
      project, which was a collaboration between                                                                                                  activity per week.                                     media/1327/acw-2018-
      the founding cities of Singapore, Auckland and                                                                                                                                                   annual-report-lo-res.pdf
      London. Discussions were centred around the                                                                                                 Engaging for at least 2.5 hours a week in          or scan this QR code for the
                                                                                                                                                  sport and physical activity not only keeps you       2018 ACW Annual Report
                                                                                                                                                  physically active but also helps you better stay
                                                                                                                                                  in touch with, for example, your neighbours?

100                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 101
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     All photos by Ng Chrong Meng
Unless otherwise stated, all figures are expressed in Singapore dollars
      1                                                                                                                                                       3

      The annual economic contribution of sport and physical activity is estimated to be $3.9 billion with the industry                                       Sport contributes an average of 119 hours of positive social contact a year per active* Singapore resident.
      providing over 33 thousand jobs for Singapore.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           MEASURING SOCIAL
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           INTEGRATION:

          $3.9 BILLION                                IN TOTAL

                                                                                                                                                                                                             ON AVERAGE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Hours of positive social contact has
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           been used as a metric to calculate
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           social integration
                                                                                                                                                                                                 62
          38%                                                      62%
                                                                                                                                                                                                             WITH A PERSON
                              PARTICIPATING                                            WORKFORCE                                                                                                             OF A DIFFERENT
                              CONSUMPTION                                              CONTRIBUTION                                                                                               HRS        RACE                          • 'Contact theory' states that positive
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             contact between different groups of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             people increases social integration

                DIRECT                INDIRECT                        ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTION:                                                                                                                                              • Sport provides intergroup contact which
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             occurs in a positive and structured way

                                                                                                                                                                       119
            $669M
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ON AVERAGE

                                                                                                                                                                                                         43                                FURTHER ANALYSIS TO
                                                                  $
                                                                       2.4                                                   44
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     WITH A PERSON
                                                                                                                         $                                                         HRS
                                                                                                                                                                        HOURS OF POSITIVE                  HRS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     OF A DIFFERENT
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     AGE GROUP
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           BE CONDUCTED:
              $387M                                                                                                                                                     SOCIAL CONTACT**                                                   The ACW analysis will look at how
                                                                  BILLION                                                MILLION                                                                                                           social contact varies across types
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           of sport and for different
                             $209M
                                           $609M                         33K FULL-TIME                                          7.3M                                                                                                       demographic groups
                                                                         EMPLOYEES                                              VOLUNTEERING
                              $121M                                                                                             HOURS
                                                                                                                                                                                                   7
                                                                                                                                                                                                             ON AVERAGE WITH
              $282M                                                                                                                                                                                                                        *   Includes Singapore residents doing any
                                                                                                                                                                                                             A PERSON WITH
                               $88M                                                                                                                                                                HRS       A DISABILITY
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               number of minutes of sport and physical
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               activity.

            SPORTS           SPORTS    SUBSCRIPTION
            CLOTHING         EQUIPMENT & FEES                                                                                                                                                                                              ** Assumption that 100% of sporting contact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              is positive. The numbers do not add up to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              the average total of 119 hours as some of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              the hours are done with people of the same
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              socio-demographic group.

      2
                                                                                                                                                              4
      The annual economic contribution of sport and physical activity in Singapore is estimated to annually generate
      $454 million in savings as well as resulting in 19.8 thousand additional years of healthy life and 575 fewer deaths.                                    Sport and physical activity is estimated to deliver annual social benefits of $16 million to Singapore as well as
                                                                                                                                                              providing 268 million hours of positive interactions.

                                                                   $222M HEALTHCARE SAVINGS                         19,845 DALYs* SAVED                                           THE CURRENT ANNUAL SOCIAL VALUE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SINGAPORE
          Health
          THE CURRENT ANNUAL VALUE OF
          PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO SINGAPORE                           575 DEATHS PREVENTED                             $232M SAVINGS DUE TO
                                                                                                                    INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

          CORONARY
          HEART
          DISEASE        1
                               STROKE

                                              2
                                                   TYPE II
                                                   DIABETES
                                                                  3
                                                                         BREAST
                                                                         CANCER
                                                                                        4
                                                                                              COLON
                                                                                              CANCER
                                                                                                             5
                                                                                                                    MENTAL
                                                                                                                    HEALTH
                                                                                                                                   6
                                                                                                                                         OSTEO -
                                                                                                                                         POROSIS
                                                                                                                                                        7
                                                                                                                                                                                                    $
                                                                                                                                                                                                      15M                                                                  4%
          257 DEATHS
          PREVENTED
                               96 DEATHS
                               PREVENTED
                                                   18 DEATHS
                                                   PREVENTED
                                                                         60 DEATHS
                                                                         PREVENTED
                                                                                              118 DEATHS
                                                                                              PREVENTED
                                                                                                                    N/A^                 27 DEATHS
                                                                                                                                         PREVENTED
                                                                                                                                                                         $
                                                                                                                                                                           1M                   Annual GDP growth
                                                                                                                                                                                                  from improved
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           268M Hrs                                 Increase
                                                                                                                                                                      Annual value of               educational                Annual positive hours              Improved self-rated
          4,640 DALYs*         2,241 DALYs*        1,677 DALYs*          1,691 DALYs*         2,305 DALYs*          3,070 DALYs*         4,220 DALYs*                crime prevention              performance                    of interactions                     happiness
          SAVED                SAVED               SAVED                 SAVED                SAVED                 SAVED                SAVED

          $20M COST            $26M COST           $101M COST            $4M COST             $10M COST             $8M COST             $52M COST
          SAVINGS              SAVINGS             SAVINGS               SAVINGS              SAVINGS               SAVINGS              SAVINGS                    Based on the known           Based on impact of           Based on participation in          Based on econometric
                                                                                                                                                                   risk and cost of youth       education on GDP and          sport being meaningful,             analyses of activity's
                                                                                                                                                                  convictions and activity's     activity's impact on          positive social contact            impact on self-rated
                                                                                                                                                                    ability to reduce risk     educational performance                                                 happiness
          PRODUCTIVITY SAVINGS                                 $224M SAVED                                       $8M REDUCED
          DUE TO HEALTH                                        DUE TO REDUCED                                    FRICTION COSTS
                                                               ABSENTEEISM

      *DALYs: Disability-Adjusted Life Years
      ^
        No deaths directly attributed to Mental Health in the Global Burden of Disease Data

102                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        103
ACTIVE HEALTH
                                                             For everyone
                                       GetActive! Singapore 2018 provided many opportunities to
                                        reach out to people of all ages to encourage them to take
                                      ownership of their health. Active Health featured in activities
                                      across the Singapore Sports Hub, more than 10 festival sites
                                     including Geylang Serai, Chinatown, and Little India, parks at
                                                           West Coast and Bishan, to name a few.

104
      All photos by Ng Chrong Meng
Active Health Mobile vehicles were
                                                                                       deployed islandwide — to schools,
                                                                                                                             Reaching the masses
                                                                                     housing estates, and other locations.

                                                                                                                             78    preschools participated in GetActive!
                                                                                                                                   Singapore through the ground-up Active
                                                                                                                             Enabler Programme. It was fantastic to see
                                                                                                                             these young ones celebrating National Day
                                                                                                                             through play and physical activity.

                                                                                                                             Engaging the children at the PCF Sparkletots
                                                                                                                             Preschool @Bishan East involved simple
                                                                                                                             conversations on healthy habits, interest in
                                                                                                                             sports, and experiencing the significance
                                                                                                                             of National Day through song (“We Are
                                                                                                                             Singapore”) and exercise movements.

                                                                                                                             An experience booth was set up at the ActiveSG
                                                                                                                             Bukit Gombak Sports Centre to introduce the
                                                                                                                             four domains of Active Health (Physical Activity,
                                                                                                                             Nutrition, Sleep, Screen Time) during the Bukit
                                                                                                                             Batok community’s brisk walking session. These
                                                                                                                             booths are now a common feature for all our
                                                                                                                             engagements.

                                                                                                                             Residents were introduced to the Sit-to-Stand
                                                                                                                             test; a physical fitness assessment for muscular
                                                                                                                             endurance, which is important for functional
                                                                                                                             capacity in their daily activities.
      Kenneth McGeough, an Active Health expert at the Singapore Sports
      Hub, guiding a family on developing a strong core.
                                                                                                                             Functional fitness exercises and ActiveSG
                                                                                                                             programmes were introduced as next steps

      Celebrating life                                                                                                       for members of the community to take
                                                                                                                             towards maintaining their active lifestyle as
                                                                                                                             a community group.

      S   port Singapore leverages on ActiveSG to
          encourage Singaporeans to adopt a healthy
      lifestyle. Whereby, Active Health elements are
                                                                  At the recent GetActive! Singapore 2018,
                                                                  our footprint spanned across the Singapore
                                                                  Sports Hub, more than 10 festival sites including
                                                                                                                             For the Sembawang Community Sports Day,
                                                                                                                             at the ActiveSG Woodlands Sports Centre we
      incorporated into ActiveSG programmes and                   Geylang Serai, Chinatown and Little India, park            joined up with the Sembawang Community
      events so that the Active Health knowledge for              activations at West Coast and Bishan.                      Sports Club and incorporated Active Health
      every life stage is reinforced at each lesson                                                                          elements into warm-up exercises.
      and experience.

                                                                                                                                             All photos by Joelle Chan, Suki Singh
106                                                                                                                                                                                  107
                                                                                                                                                             and Sport Singapore
Active Health
      @public service
      sports & family
      day
      T  he Public Service family was enthusiastic to
         get onboard the Active Health journey at the
      annual Public Service Sports and Family Day, on
      14 July 2018.

      A full fitness experience was designed starting
      from the warm-up exercises and the GetActive!
                                                           Moving Right                                      McDonald’s Singapore came onboard as the
                                                                                                             first corporate partner for this year’s GetActive!
                                                                                                             Singapore. Working with McDonald’s to design
      Singapore Workout. Public servants and their                                                           a holistic and executable plan, its leadership
      families experienced how multi-dimensional
      movement can help with the body’s functional         T   he 1st edition of Singapore Press Holding’s
                                                               Feel Fab Festival was held on 21 to 22 July
                                                           2018, engaging working adults with a showcase
                                                                                                             team set the tone by initiating themselves into
                                                                                                             the Active Health programme and creating
                                                                                                             opportunities to get their employees to embark
      movement patterns.
                                                           of trending programmes in fitness, lifestyle      on this active journey with them.
      Such exercises can be tailored to introduce          and nutrition.
      functional mobility to all ages. The Active Health                                                     Our team has helped to customise exercises
      journey provides a pathway to support an             ActiveSG partnered Radical Fitness that is        for the restaurant teams to encourage the
      individual from self-assessment of one’s fitness     behind innovative training programmes like        habit of improving mobility whilst at work. The
      to sustaining an enjoyable healthy lifestyle.        Fightdo, Oxigeno and Megadanz. Active Health      Great Ronald Workout was also designed to
                                                           experts took to the stage to lead the Active      engage residents and McDonald’s employees
                                                           Health warm-up exercises to emphasize the         to experience fun and fitness at the various park
                                                           importance of moving right to gain the most out   outlets.
                                                           of our time spent exercising.

                                                                                                                                All photos by Muthya P Narayanachary,
108                                                                                                                                                                     109
                                                                                                                 McDonald’s Singapore, Suki Singh and Sport Singapore
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