SEA Games 2023: Three golds for Singapore in fencing, cricket, xiangqi Fencing gold equals six-gold haul in previous Games, while cricket gold was Singapore's second-ever in the sport Chia Han Keong ·Editor Mon, May 15, 2023 at 7:35 PM GMT+8·4 min read The Singapore women's foil fencing team of (from left) Maxine Wong, Tay Yu Ling, Tiffany Seet and Cheung Kemei celebrate winning the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTO: SNOC/Lim Weixiang) SINGAPORE — After dominating the individual events - winning five out of the six available golds - Singapore's fencers found the going much tougher in the team competitions at the SEA Games in Cambodia. After the three teams events, there were one silver and two bronzes won, but still no team gold for the city-state at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center by Monday morning (15 May). Thankfully, the gold finally came on Monday afternoon from probably the most reliable source: the women's foil competition, where Singapore have won golds in the past three times the event was contested (2015, 2019 and 2022). The team of Cheung Kemei, Tay Yu Ling, Tiffany Seet and individual champion Maxine Wong easily defeated Vietnam 45-23 in the final to make it a fourth straight gold in the event. The gold, Singapore's sixth at the Games, also equalled the city-state's six-gold haul at last year's Hanoi Games, where it was the top performing fencing nation. Earlier on Monday, the men's sabre team of Dan Wei Zuo, Nicholas Loo, Lucius Loh and Jorelle See managed to reach the final for the first time ever, but had to settle for silver after losing to defending champions Vietnam 31-45. On Sunday, the men's epee team and the women's sabre team earned bronze medals after losing the semi-finals of their respective events. Singapore's men's six-a-side cricket team (right) in action against Cambodia, en route to their gold-medal win at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTO: Sport Singapore/Flona Hakim) Second-ever cricket gold as men's six-a-side team triumph Team Singapore also earned a gold medal in cricket on Monday, as the men's six-a-side team emerged triumphant among four contesting nations in the competition. They had lost by four wickets to the Philippines in their opening match on Sunday, but recovered to beat Indonesia by 14 runs on the same day at the AZ Group Cricket Oval. On Monday, they defeated hosts Cambodia by 26 runs to finish level with them on two wins and six points each. However, a superior nett run rate gave Singapore the gold medal. This is Singapore's second-ever cricket gold medal at the SEA Games, after they clinched the Twenty20 gold at the 2017 Games in Kuala Lumpur. Singapore men's water polo player Yip Yang (right) in action against the Philippines at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTO: SNOC/Danny Toh) Gold in xiangqi for men's blitz team; men's water polo gold within reach The third gold won by Team Singapore on Monday came in xiangqi (Chinese chess), as the men's blitz team of Alvin Woo and Low Yi Hao emerged tops among five other competitors at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. They won four out of five rounds of matches, losing only to Vietnam's Ha Van Tien and Tuan Hai Chu. The results put them level on points with the Vietnam pair as well as the Malaysian pair of Sim Yip How and Yeoh Thean Jern, but the Singapore duo eventually won by having a superior individual win sum. This is the second xiangqi gold for Singapore at the Games, after Ngo Lan Huong won the women's singles competition on Sunday. Singapore's men's water polo have also virtually sealed the gold medal they had been waiting four years to regain, following a routine 10-4 win over the Philippines in their penultimate match at the National Olympic Stadium Swimming Centre. They face Cambodia in their final match on Tuesday morning, and considering that the hosts are bottom of the round-robin table after losing all their matches, Singapore look odds on for earn their fifth win of the competition to top the table and win the gold. Follow Yahoo News Singapore's coverage of the SEA Games here!
SEA Games 2023: Singapore men’s cricket team win gold ‘against the odds’ Singapore's men's cricket team won gold in the Sixes format at the Cambodia SEA Games on Monday. PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED MAY 16, 2023, 12:52 AM SGT PHNOM PENH – The Singapore men’s cricket team defeated hosts Cambodia on Monday to claim the Sixes gold medal but their second ever SEA Games title sparked more concern than joy among the players. Speaking to The Straits Times shortly after the win, Singapore cricket captain Rezza Gaznavi and fellow player Amjad Mahboob lamented the preparations in the run-up to the Games, calling on the authorities to help stem the sport’s decline. The main issue, they said, is the lack of a proper training pitch. In the Sixes tournament, Singapore started with a loss to the Philippines by four wickets on Sunday. On the same day, they recovered to post a victory over Indonesia by 14 runs. Against the hosts, Singapore won by 26 runs to finish level with Cambodia on two wins and six points each, but a superior net run rate gave the Republic the gold. Contested at the Games for the first time, Sixes is the fastest format of cricket and it is played with six players per side, compared with the usual 11. Another difference is that it takes just 45 minutes to complete. Rezza, who was not part of the eight-man squad for the Sixes format, said: “It was not easy at all. These guys won gold against all odds.” Pakistani-born Mahboob has been in Singapore for over 20 years and received his citizenship only in February. While he was proud to win gold for his country, he added: “I hope the win highlights our issues. We have a big problem. Currently we train twice to thrice a week on a poor pitch at a shared facility. If you want me to rate our preparation, I would give it a one out of 10.” Rezza shared that the cricket youth teams had even travelled by bus recently across the Causeway to train in Malaysia. The senior side train up to thrice a week at a shared facility at the Singapore Indian Association but he noted that the ground there is poorly maintained and too small for the team. He added: “It’s a run-down corner shed with two or three nets. The way I can describe where we train is to imagine Michael Jackson being asked to moonwalk on a rubber stage. He won’t be able to glide. “We really hope and pray things change, otherwise it’s a sinking ship.” Singapore Cricket Association (SCA) president Mahmood Gaznavi said in a statement that the gold is “especially significant given the challenges faced by local cricket”. He pointed to the team’s dip in the world rankings from 19th to 36th, adding that the national team had been hampered because they did not have a training ground for seven months since last August and only had limited training facilities from mid-March, about a month before the Games. The SCA had to vacate its training venue at Kallang Cricket Field in January 2016 as their yearly lease was not renewed by Sport Singapore (SportSG) – it has since been redeveloped into one of ActiveSG’s football academies. The Singapore men’s cricket team defeated hosts Cambodia to claim gold at the ongoing SEA Games. PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE Gaznavi added: “Our competitors have caught up and surpassed Singapore. Our world ranking has declined, and we expect challenging years ahead as we have limited facilities. This gold came with minimal preparation and intense challenges.” Calling on SportSG and other government agencies for support, Gaznavi said: “We appreciate all the help received thus far. But we need a dedicated cricket facility badly, and it has to come soon, where we can also aspire to accommodate foreign teams and offer top-quality cricket for spectators.” This is only the second time that cricket has featured at the Games. The sport made its debut in Malaysia in 2017 when Singapore won the Twenty20 competition for their first SEA Games cricket gold. They also won a silver in the 50-over tournament. In Cambodia, the Singapore team had to settle for bronze in the T20 series last Thursday with Cambodia taking the gold, ahead of Malaysia. Singapore will have another chance to win a medal when they face Philippines in a bronze play-off in the T10 format on Tuesday. MORE ON THIS TOPIC SEA Games 2023: Scorching heat, warm locals welcome Team Singapore as sporting action hots up How Singapore won 1,000 SEA Games golds
SEA Games: All-local born paddlers win men’s team gold medal with former medalist Gao Ning as coach Photo: Facebook screengrab / alvinshtan May 15, 2023 By Khalis Rifhan Regarded as one of Singapore’s best paddlers of his time, naturalised player Gao Ning won three gold medals in the men’s team event. SINGAPORE — It was a historic win for the Singapore table tennis team as an all local-born squad won the gold medal, seeing off the challenge from arch-rivals Malaysia 3-0 in the men’s team event at the Morodok Techo Table Tennis Hall. They last won the medal when Singapore hosted the SEA Games in 2015. The following SEA Games in 2017, Singapore won silver, and there was no team event in 2019. In the previous SEA Games held last year in Vietnam, Singapore settled for joint bronze with Vietnam. It brought table tennis success in the past as Singapore, with a mix of China-born players and local players, won seven men’s team gold medals between 1999 and 2015. Singapore won the medals in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2015. Regarded as one of Singapore’s best paddlers of his time, naturalised player Gao Ning won three gold medals in the men’s team event. He last played in the 2017 SEA Games, and he won two gold medals (men’s singles, men’s doubles) and a silver medal in the men’s team event. During his time there were plenty of other China-born players that switched allegiance to Singapore and won medals for the country. One definitely can’t forget Feng Tianwei, Yu Meng Yu and many others. Although Gao Ning has since retired, he is currently the Singapore national men’s team coach. At the current SEA Games, our Singapore table tennis players that brought home glory consisted of Clarence Chew, Koen Pang, Izaac Quek, Beh Kun Ting and Ethan Poh. Some of these players such as Chew and Poh were in the same team as their coach Gao Ning that won the silver medal in the men’s team event in the 2017 SEA Games. Singapore had a perfect start to the competition in Group B against Malaysia, Philippines and Laos. Although it wasn’t all an easy match against their opponents especially the Philippines and Malaysia, the Singapore paddlers managed to win all their round robin matches with a 3-0 win. In the semi-finals, Singapore were up against the defending champions Thailand. Chew was up first against Padasak Tanviriyavechakul. Chew lost his first game but did well to recover and went on to win the next three games (8-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4). Pang was up next against Sarayut Tancharoen, and although it proved to be a nerve-wrecking encounter the Singapore paddler managed to seal a 3-0 win (12-10, 11-9, 11-9). Pang did not have to play his match as he was awarded a walkover win as Thailand’s Phakpoom Sanguansin had an allergy. The gold medal match saw Singapore battling it out against Malaysia. It was not exactly an easy match as the silver medalist in the previous SEA Games went all out in pursuit of top honours too. But Chew set the tempo in the first match winning the next three games against Leong Chee Feng after dropping the first game (8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6). In the second match, Pang also lost his first game but took the final three games (11-4, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8). Match three was the most exhilarating as it went into five games. Singapore’s Quek won game one 11-9 but Javen Choon came back strong in the next two games, winning 14-12, 13-11. With the guidance of his coach Gao Ning at the sideline, Quek then upped his game and went on to win the crucial next two games 11-9, 11-7 to reclaim the gold medal for Singapore. Finals: Malaysia vs Singapore Match 1: Leong Chee Feng vs Clarence Chew – 11-8, 4-11, 9-11, 6-11 Match 2: Wong Qi Shen vs Koen Pang Yew En – 4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 8-11 Match 3: Javen Choong vs Izaac Quek Yong – 9-11, 14-12, 13-11, 9-11, 7-11 Semi-Finals: Thailand vs Singapore Match 1: Padasak Tanviriyavechakul vs Clarence Chew – 11-8, 4-11, 5-11, 4-11 Match 2: Sarayut Tancharoen vs Koen Pang Yew En – 10-12, 9-11, 9-11, 9,11 Match 3: phakpoom sanguansin vs Izaac Quek Yong – WO Send in your scoops to news@theindependent.sg
SEA Games Singapore review: Shanti's double the obvious high, football debacle the definite low Sprinter ascends to greatness after battling setbacks; football team crash to new depths in 0-7 loss to Malaysia Chia Han Keong ·Editor Wed, 17 May 2023 at 4:43 pm SGT·6-min read Singapore's double sprint champion Shanti Pereira (left) and the Singapore men's football team at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTOS: Getty Images/SNOC) SINGAPORE — This has been a rather unusual SEA Games - and it's not just because it is hosted by Cambodia for the very first time. The fact that it was being held only a year after the previous edition already makes it unique among the 31 previous editions. Not to mention the host nation having an unusually successful Games, winning 65 golds (32 from the arcane martial art disciplines of kun Khmer, kun bocator and vovinam) to suddenly boost its all-time gold-medal haul from 94 to 159. The sight of naturalised Cambodian athletes lifting their teams to unprecedented heights in sports such as basketball and cricket also gave an air of uneasy weirdness. Still, the regional sporting extravaganza breezed by without much of a major ripple in the global sporting context. Team Singapore's performance was comparable to their recent results - a 51-gold harvest was better than last year's 47-gold effort in Hanoi, and similar to those in 2019 and 2017 (53 and 58 golds respectively while competing in more sports). But there was also something unusual among the performances: for the first time in recent memory, there was an outright candidate for the top Singapore athlete, and there was also an undoubtable candidate for the most disappointing performance. Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira with her women's 100m gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTO: Reuters/Chalinee Thirasupa) Shanti Pereira reaches glorious heights after overcoming setbacks Let's start with the top athlete, who stood out even amid excellent outings by many fellow Singaporeans: The enduring brilliance of the Quah siblings - Ting Wen, Zheng Wen and Jing Wen - anchored Singapore's 22-gold, 15-silver, 10-bronze binge in swimming; The stunning debut of 16-year-old paddler Izaac Quek, winner of three out of the four table tennis golds; Fencing's record seven-gold effort demonstrated the depth of talents the sport has developed; The collective effort of the men's water polo team to regain the gold they lost in 2019. All highly commendable efforts, but none have captured the public's imagination and admiration as the coronation of Singapore's Sprint Queen, Shanti Pereira, with her astonishing victories in the 100m and 200m races. The fact that the 26-year-old was the first Singaporean female sprinter to do the golden double in one Games was already a massive achievement. But it was the manner in which she obliterated her rivals in both races that truly set her apart from the other Team Singapore athletes in Phnom Penh. The 200m victory was mind-blowing, even though Pereira was the defending champion. A superb start gave her the momentum to accelerate through the bend, but she did not slack off, continuing to pull away from the field and winning by a considerable gap. Gold, personal best, national record, SEA Games record - in a spectacular 22.69 seconds. The 100m was more uncertain for Pereira, who had never won the race in four previous tries. Yet, she showed how far she has rebuilt her confidence after years of niggling injuries, as she overcame a tentative start to turn up her formidable acceleration and leave her rivals in the dust again for the monumental gold. Two utterly convincing victories, earned after years of trying, years of overcoming self-doubt, and years of enduring snide remarks that she was a "has-been". Her overjoyed grin after each win was proof of how sweet and resounding her vindication was. Pereira's journey from young talent to top sprinter in the region has not been as smooth-sailing as she would have liked. From suffering lengthy injuries, to being excluded from the Sports Excellence scholarship to dealing with a crisis of confidence just two years ago, her story is one of gritty determination to prove to herself that she has what it takes to reach the top. And she finally did, to universal adoration from the Singapore public. From a wide-eyed teenage upstart when she won her first 200m gold in 2015, to a confident and matured competitor in 2023, Pereira may have taken to long and winding route to resounding success, but that is what makes her SEA Games feat so inspirational. Undoubtedly, she is the Singapore athlete of the Cambodia Games. Singapore's Andrew Aw (red jersey) looks away in dejection after Thailand score against his side at the 2023 SEA Games. (PHOTO: SNOC/Eng Chin An) Apathy, embarrassment at the state of Singapore football Yet, just as Pereira's double-gold win had warmed the hearts of the Singapore public, the catastrophic performances of the Singapore men's football team have caused much consternation instead. From predictable losses to gold-medal favourites Thailand and Vietnam, to a chastening draw against Laos, to the ultimate indignity of a 0-7 capitulation against arch-rivals Malaysia - the Young Lions' zero-win outing was easily the nadir of Team Singapore's performances in in Phnom Penh. What was galling about this embarrassment was how much worse than expected it turned out to be. Singapore were not fancied to advance out of the group stage - Thailand and Vietnam were just far too good - yet the limp 0-0 draw with Laos was disappointing, and that thrashing by a gleeful Malaysian side proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. The brickbats came in swift and furious, as social media was filled quickly with snide barbs and mocking memes condemning the local football community of their ineptitude. One comment even provoked an outburst from Bernard Tan, the acting president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), who later apologised and admitted that the 0-7 defeat was "one of the worst nights in our history". But more astute observers said the rot had already set in years ago, with the local football talent pool drying up and a series of managerial upheavals disrupting the development of young players. Some painted an even bleaker picture, that there is growing apathy and cynicism among the general public, given Singapore football's lack of success in the past decade. Reviving the fortunes of Singapore football seems to be near-impossible without strong public support - and that is the reality facing a nation once proud of its roaring Lions. FAS will of course undergo a review and ask "tough questions", as Tan said in the aftermath of the Malaysia rout. But more than tough questions, it should ask itself: does it have the will to see through its "Unleash the Roar!" project to revitalise Singapore football and qualify for the World Cup? Because the long-term project just got much tougher to succeed after the SEA Games debacle. At no point in Singapore football history do the Lions seem further away from relevance, with every nation in the region catching up and overtaking the city-state in football success. It would take a gargantuan will to succeed to drag Singapore football out of the doldrums. Could the nadir of this SEA Games provide the impetus for local football to climb out of its mediocrity? Few would bet on it, although Shanti Pereira's success at the Games showed that a combination of iron will and astute decisions could lift an athlete from her lowest ebb. The football community has to do the same from here on.
SEA Games 2023: Performance shows future is bright for S’pore sport, says SSI chief Swimmer Jonathan Tan competing in the men's 50m freestyle at the 2023 SEA Games. PHOTO: SNOC Jonathan Wong Assistant Sports Editor UPDATED MAY 17, 2023, 10:29 PM SGT PHNOM PENH – Even as Singapore has established itself as a consistent performer at the SEA Games, with the haul of 51 golds in Cambodia continuing on that success, Singapore Sport Institute (SSI) chief Su Chun Wei said it must look at making an impact on bigger stages like the Asian Games and Olympics. The Republic’s 554 athletes across 30 sports added 43 silvers and 64 bronzes here to finish sixth in the overall standings. The 51-gold haul is also the country’s fourth-highest in Games history, after the 84 titles at the 2015 edition on home soil, 58 from Kuala Lumpur in 2017 and 53 from Manila in 2019. Su, speaking at a press conference to wrap up Singapore’s campaign in Phnom Penh, said: “We certainly have what it takes to break through at the Asian and world level. And in fact, some sports have already broken through, it’s now really about sustaining a performance at those current levels. “Fencing is a good example. They now believe they can be a powerhouse in South-east Asia. So the natural next question is Asian... It’s building the bench strength not just around one or two athletes, but the whole cohort and for the system and a process to bring them through. “It’s not a short process but I believe that if we continue to keep faith in what we do as a system, we will deliver. I will not say numbers but let the process deliver the results.” Singapore dominated the fencing programme here, winning seven of the 12 events. At the 2018 Asiad in Indonesia, the women’s foil team clinched a bronze, the nation’s first team medal at the quadrennial Games. Su also highlighted swimming, praising Jonathan Tan, who met the Paris 2024 ‘A’ qualifying time in the 50m freestyle, and sailing as those that can be competitive at a much higher level than the SEA Games. Both sports have delivered golds at the last four Asian Games since 2006. Sprinter Shanti Pereira, who won the 100m and 200m double, has also raised her game. Her personal best of 22.69 seconds in the latter, set last week, is just 0.12 off the 22.57 qualifying time for the next Olympics and under Bahraini Edidiong Odiong’s winning effort (22.96) at the 2018 Asiad. Aside from athletics (three golds, two silvers and five bronzes), which Su said “continues to go from strength to strength” since the Hanoi Games in 2022, table tennis, badminton and water polo also earned kudos for their results in Cambodia. The national sports associations that underperformed have a lot to reflect on, as he singled out men’s football, basketball, golf and cycling. “We would want the team to learn from the experience and come out stronger,” he said. Overall, chef de mission Hing Siong Chen said what he witnessed from Singapore athletes at the 32nd SEA Games were displays of guts and courage. They also set eight Games records, 17 national marks and 40 personal bests. He added: “They were outstanding in what they did, fought very hard. We are proud of them.” Tellingly, there were 259 debutants who contributed 57 of the 158 medals while the contingent’s average age was 24. Another positive trend cited was the increased frequency of golds won. The last five Games, including the latest edition, have produced 293 golds. The preceding 27, dating back to the 1959 Seap Games, totalled 753. While it took 64 years for Singapore to reach 1,000 golds – the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay swim team took the honours – the current rate is almost twice as fast. Such statistics bode well for the future, particularly with 2029 Games on home soil, said Su. “This cohort of youthful athletes continue to be the backbone for multiple SEA Games campaigns. We hope they will continue to fly our flags high. “And this reflects the strength of a high performance sport ecosystem in Singapore which is a generating one that will continue to aim higher, run faster, and do whatever it takes for us to fulfil our national ambition that brings Singapore together.” A golden era 2015 Singapore: 84 golds 2017 Kuala Lumpur: 58 2019 Manila: 53 2022 Hanoi: 47 2023 Phnom Penh: 51 MORE ON THIS TOPIC SEA Games 2023: Timothy Loh wins Singapore’s first wrestling gold SEA Games 2023: Finally, Singapore are water polo kings again
Delta Sport Centre reopens with bigger gym, new futsal courts, more badminton courts The Delta Sport Centre officially reopened on Sunday. It has a bigger gym, four new futsal courts, a full-sized hockey pitch and three swimming pools. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Kimberly Kwek UPDATED MAY 21, 2023, 10:52 PM SGT SINGAPORE – A 1,000 sq m gym, three times bigger than before, four new futsal courts and more indoor badminton courts are some of the changes residents can look forward to after the Delta Sport Centre officially opened on Sunday. The facility along Tiong Bahru Road, closed for renovation in 2019, also offers a full-sized hockey pitch and three swimming pools, one of which is equipped with an accessibility ramp for seniors and persons with disabilities. There will also be tryouts for various para-sports staged at the venue every quarter. Mr Timothy Lim, 29, and his wife, Mrs Cheryl Lim, 27, used to visit the Delta Sport Centre when they were in secondary school for swimming lessons, but had not been back for several years. But they are planning to make use of the gym, citing affordability and convenience as key factors. Adults who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents pay $2.50 for entry into an ActiveSG public gym. Mr Lim, who works in a bank, said: “It is quite nearby – just one train station and a five-minute walk away – and the facilities are good, so we are planning to come here at least once a week.” ActiveSG chief Tan Hock Leong noted that the reopening of Delta Sport Centre was significant because of the recent closure of the nearby Queenstown Sport Centre, which will be undergoing renovations until 2025. The hockey pitch, which served Singapore’s national team since 1991 before they subsequently moved to Sengkang in 2010, will also be used as a venue for ActiveSG Hockey Academy’s programme. He added: “Sport Singapore (SportSG) will continue to cater for facilities that are inclusive, affordable and accessible to allow Singaporeans to enjoy sport. Periodically, we will cater for the rejuvenation of older facilities, make them more conducive and suitable for the residents.” National agency SportSG had in February announced plans for the Toa Payoh Integrated Development, which is slated for completion by 2030. The 12ha site will comprise a regional sports centre, polyclinic, public library and regional town park. The Toa Payoh project and Punggol Regional Sports Centre are part of the Sports Facilities Master Plan, a key initiative of national sports blueprint Vision 2030. They will be the latest integrated community hubs that house multiple facilities. Others include Our Tampines Hub, Heartbeat@Bedok and Bukit Canberra, which opened in late 2022. For residents in the Tiong Bahru and Queenstown area, the upgraded complex is a welcome addition. Ms Catherine Lum, 50, used to take her children to the Delta Sport Centre only occasionally before it was renovated because “it was quite run down”, but the legal assistant at a private equity firm is planning to take her children, who are 14, 12 and 10, there more often now for swimming lessons. She added that less time would be needed for travelling, as the facility is five minutes from her home. When it was closed, she had to take her children to the Jurong West Swimming Complex, which was a 20-minute commute. Ms Lum said: “We are excited because it is brand new and everything is refurbished.” The refurbished Delta Sport Centre has three swimming pools. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Mr Daniel Lim and Ms Ang Bixia are looking to register their sons, aged seven and four, for different sports under the ActiveSG clubs and academies programme. The parents had previously gone for football, badminton and table tennis programmes at Pasir Ris Sport Centre and Our Tampines Hub, and will be signing their sons up for the hockey programme at Delta. Mr Lim, 42, an accountant, said: “When Delta was closed, we had to go further out for holiday programmes for the children, but now that it has reopened, there are more options for them to try during the school holidays.”
L / LIFE SEA Games 2023: The Singaporean Female Athletes To Watch Out For Let’s celebrate the lionesses of Singapore who wowed us with their exceptional performance at the SEA Games 2023. SEA Games 2023: The Singaporean female athletes to watch out for - Her World Singapore BY NG HUI YU / MAY 24, 2023 Credits: quahtingwen, sgsportstv and teamsingapore /Instagram First-time hosts Cambodia ended the SEA Games 2023 with a dazzling closing ceremony on 17 May, bidding farewell to hundreds of elite athletes vying for glory and gold medals on the track or in the pool. Team Singapore’s exceptional performance did us proud, bringing home a total of 158 medals, of which were 51 golds, 43 silvers and 64 bronzes. While we’re cheering for the athletic prowess and unforgettable triumphs Team Singapore showed in the SEA Games, let’s not forget to celebrate the women (or lionesses!) who have shown us their sporting skill, strength and sweat-drenched determination. We love Singapore’s ‘golden’ girls from the SEA Games SEA Games: Female athletes who did Singapore proud 10 empowering women of the SEA Games that inspire us to get more out of life Quah Ting Wen: Swimming 1/9 The Singaporean swimmer recently received the Best Athlete Award at the SEA Games 2023, with an impressive tally of 6 golds and 2 silvers. This prestigious award closes the loop for the illustrious Quah siblings, with her brother Quah Zheng Wen having received the award in 2019, and her sister Quah Jing Wen having been the most bemedalled athlete at the Hanoi SEA Games in 2022. Shanti Pereira: Athletics 2/9 Singapore’s sprint queen showed us a trailblazing victory with her 100m and 200m golden double at Phnom Penh, as the first Singaporean female sprinter to do so. Overcoming personal struggles and heavy expectations, Her World cover girl Shanti Pereira is once again back on the track and in fantastic form. Kimberly Ong: Wushu 3/9 Sword in hand, Kimberly Ong shows us her fierce determination and clean moves that helped her slice through her competition, clinching the gold medal in the Daoshu + Gunshu component. Ngo Lan Huong: Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) 4/9 Even as she popped painkillers in the middle of her final match, Ngo Lan Huong showed us all the right moves as she outmanoeuvred her rival to a strategic victory in a battle of the minds. Zeng Qian: Table Tennis 5/9 With dogged determination and unmatched skill, Zeng Qian dominated her competition, a testament to her relentless pursuit of excellence and resilience in her sport. Diyanah Aqidah: Women's Recognized Poomsae, Taekwondo 6/9 Lightning fast on her feet, Diyanah Aqidah wowed us all with her impeccable form on the mat at Phnom Penh. Her shining performance earned her a silver, the first medal in the sport Team Singapore has won since 2017. Amirah Sahrin, Iffah Batrisyia, Nur Ashikin: Pencak SIlat 7/9 Clinching a bronze in the previous Hanoi SEA Games, Singapore’s women’s artistic silat team comprising of Amirah Sahrin, Iffah Batrisyia and Nur Ashikin danced their way into a historic first gold medal for Singapore. Women's Fencing Team 8/9 In a dazzling display of skill, Singapore’s women fencing team dominated the sport, bringing home 5 out of 6 golds for individual events and topping the overall medal tally for fencing. With their graceful yet fierce moves, we can’t wait to see the women’s fencing team grow from strength to strength. Women's Floorball Team 9/9 In a nail-biting game against the Thais who were fiercely vying to dethrone Singapore, Singapore’s women’s floorball team did not back down and successfully defended their reigning champion position. With swift flicks of their sticks, they managed to continue their victory streak from the previous 2015 and 2019 SEA Games.
After SEA Games success, Singapore’s Shanti Pereira breaks 100m national record in Germany Singapore's Shanti Pereira's time is 0.03sec quicker than her previous national mark in the century sprint. PHOTO: REUTERS UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE – Shanti Pereira’s record-breaking run continued in Germany on Sunday, when the Singapore sprinter clocked 11.34 seconds in the women’s 100m heats at the 58th International Pentecost Sport Meeting in Rehlingen. Her time is 0.03sec quicker than her previous national mark in the century sprint. The 26-year-old, who won golds in the 100m and 200m at the recent SEA Games in Cambodia, finished behind Luxembourg’s Patrizia van der Weken, who won heat 2 in 11.17sec. She was also second fastest in the field of eight and will compete in the final at 12.53am Singapore time. On May 12, Pereira claimed her first victory in the 100m at the SEA Games in 11.41sec, after finishing third in 2015, 2017 and 2019 before winning a silver at the 2022 edition in in Hanoi. She has been in sizzling form this season after starting full-time training in January, rewriting her 100m record thrice and her 200m mark twice in less than a month in Australia and New Zealand. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Podcast: How Shanti Pereira overcame her biggest battle SEA Games 2023: Being called a ‘has-been’ hurt, but Shanti Pereira is smiling now
SEA Games Federation Council honours the late Tan Eng Liang with lifetime achievement award Dr Tan Eng Liang served as Singapore's chef de mission for 12 major games, including (above) the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia. PHOTO: ST FILE Ryan Wong UPDATED 11 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE – In recognition of his lifelong dedication towards enhancing the regional sporting scene, veteran sports administrator Tan Eng Liang, who died on Sunday, has been conferred the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) Council Lifetime Achievement Award – the Order of the Golden Rings. SEAGF chief operating officer Chaiyapak Siriwat made this announcement in a press statement on Monday, a day after Tan, a long-serving SEAGF council member and honorary life member, died at the age of 85 after battling cancer. Chaiyapak paid tribute to Tan, saying: “His total commitment and in-depth experience, with highest integrity and always putting the athletes’ interest and well-being as of paramount importance, brought innovative changes and balanced advancement of the federation and the SEA Games.” Commending his “long-time exemplary and distinguished service” and “great passion and unfailing dedication for decades”, Chaiyapak said the council on May 4 unanimously approved that Tan be bestowed the special award. He added: “His devoted service will always be a source of inspiration to all of us in the SEAGF family and the future generation.” Tan, who started his sporting career as a water polo player, racked up several achievements in the pool. These include winning a bronze and two silver medals at the Asian Games and two South-east Asian Peninsular Games golds. He was also part of the Singapore team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, which remains the only time the Republic fielded a water polo team on sport’s highest stage. After retiring as a player, Tan continued to contribute to the local sporting fraternity. He was chairman of the Singapore Sports Council, now Sport Singapore, from 1975 to 1991 and served as vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) for 28 years. He was also chef de mission for 12 major Games, including the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where the Republic ended a 48-year Olympic medal drought, with the women’s table tennis team claiming a silver. Even after stepping down as SNOC vice-president, Tan’s commitment to Singapore sports remained undiminished. In 2019, he led an interim management committee to restore order at the Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF), after its membership with World Taekwondo was terminated. In recognition, he was conferred an honorary black belt by STF earlier in May. In 2021, he and his family made one of the biggest donations by an individual in local sports by donating $500,000 to kick-start a fund to develop water polo here. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Ex-national water polo player, veteran sports administrator Tan Eng Liang dies at 85 Veteran sports official Tan Eng Liang conferred highest honorary taekwondo black belt
Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira betters European rivals in 200m win Singapore’s Shanti Pereira won a historic double sprint gold during the 2023 SEA Games. PHOTO: ST FILE Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED 26 MINS AGO SINGAPORE – National sprinter Shanti Pereira is used to leaving her regional rivals in the dust. But, on Saturday, she outclassed seven other European competitors to win the 200m final at the Athleticageneve meet at the Bout-du-Monde Sports Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. Running in lane six, Pereira clocked 22.84 seconds to finish first ahead of the Netherlands’ Tasa Jiya (22.88) and Irish athlete Sharlene Mawdsley (23.18). Her time was just 0.15sec off her personal best and national record of 22.69. In the 100m A final earlier, Pereira was fourth out of eight runners in 11.38sec, which was 0.12sec off her personal best. The meet is a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event, which allows Pereira to gain more ranking points as she tries to qualify for the Aug 19-27 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Athletes can either meet the world athletics championships qualifying standards or qualify through their world-rankings positions. The qualifying times for the 100m and 200m are 11.08 and 22.60. Her training stint in Europe got off to a solid start in end-May, when she broke her own 100m national mark twice, in the heats and the final when she ran 11.26 at the 58th International Pentecost Sport Meeting in Rehlingen, Germany. In May, she clinched a historic sprint double at the Cambodia SEA Games. The 26-year-old Pereira will next compete on Sunday at the Meeting International d’Annecy in France before another race in Germany. She will return to Singapore on June 21 to prepare for the July 12-16 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok and the Hangzhou Asian Games from Sept 23 to Oct 8. MORE ON THIS TOPIC SEA Games 2023: Being called a ‘has-been’ hurt, but Shanti Pereira is smiling now SEA Games 2023: ‘We must make it count in 2029’, says athletics chie
Danelle Tan sets aside college to join German giants Borussia Dortmund Danelle Tan is the first Asian player to join Borussia Dortmund women's team. PHOTO: BORUSSIA DORTMUND Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED JUN 9, 2023, 11:57 PM SGT SINGAPORE – It is a jersey worn by the likes of Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus. Now, a Singapore footballer will turn out in the famous yellow and black kit of German giants Borussia Dortmund. The club announced on Friday that Danelle Tan, 18, has become the first Asian to join their women’s team. In July, the forward will join them for pre-season training, which includes camps in the German Alps. Tan, who will complete her A levels at the Mill Hill School in London in June, was hunting for stints in Europe when Suresh Letchmanan, managing director of Dortmund Asia Pacific, contacted her. After meeting Dortmund’s head of women’s football, Svenja Schlenker, who took on her role in 2020, Tan trained for a week with the team in February and received a proposal to join them permanently. She said: “I feel incredibly blessed and privileged for such an opportunity and I hope to make the most of it. The club have ambitious plans and their massive fan base were big swing factors for me. “I’m going... to spend a lot of time on physical conditioning to make sure I’ll be ready as Dortmund climbs the leagues.” While Dortmund’s men’s team are among Europe’s elites, their women’s side were formed only in 2021 and the players are not on professional, full-time contracts. Tan joins on a year-long deal and intends to stay for the long term. First, she will need to help get Dortmund to the top division, the Frauen-Bundesliga. In 2021, they decided against purchasing a licence that would allow them to begin higher up the pyramid. Focused on doing it the “Dortmund way”, the women’s team started from the bottom in the seventh tier. They were promoted in 2022 and 2023 and will start the new season in the fifth-tier Landesliga in August. Tan added: “While some may think that joining Dortmund in the fifth tier represents a step down, I beg to differ. From the football, to the infrastructure to the marketing, you can see the plans unfolding throughout the club. “The facilities are world-class, the coaches are top-notch... Dortmund is a special club and it is committed to building the women’s side and I want to be a part of that.” Schlenker said Tan had won over the coaching team with her videos and during training sessions. The German added: “Danelle’s journey to BVB can be seen as an inspiration to young female athletes worldwide, showcasing that hard work, talent, and dedication can pave the way for extraordinary opportunities. Her determination and passion for the sport embody the values that we as a club stand for: teamwork, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence. “Dortmund assures her that she will find a supportive and nurturing environment within the aspiring BVB Frauen team.” Dortmund’s head of women’s football, Svenja Schlenker (right) presenting Danelle Tan with a Dortmund kit. PHOTO: BORUSSIA DORTMUND Tan will forgo her spot at the College of William and Mary (W&M) in Virginia in the United States, where she was slated to begin in January. She was granted a part-athletic scholarship by the college in November 2022 and would have been the first Singaporean to be accepted into a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football programme. She said: “Believe me, this was a very, very hard decision to make. W&M is a fantastic school, with the coaches there being possibly the warmest and most welcoming individuals I’ve met. “But Dortmund is a special club. When I went to the stadium and watched Dortmund’s men beat Chelsea in the Champions League, I got to experience how insanely passionate the fans are. “The ‘yellow wall’ is the stuff of legend.” Danelle’s father Meng Wei added: “Not only is it one of the biggest clubs in the world, it has ambitious plans for women’s football. “What decided things for us is the tight family atmosphere they have. It’s important for us as parents that she is supported and that she is in good hands.” The young striker has been a trailblazer for Singapore women’s football. When she was 12, she made it to the Under-16 girls’ team. Two years later, she was recruited by the national team for the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship and became the youngest player to score for Singapore at 14 years and 294 days when she netted on her debut against Timor-Leste. She has since earned 20 caps and scored four goals. In February, Tan became the first female Singaporean to play in a European league when she turned out for the London Bees in the amateur FA Women’s National League South. There, she scored twice in 12 appearances. Now, her journey with the German giants beckons. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Football: Danelle Tan, 18, becomes first female Singaporean to play in a European league Five things to know about Singapore footballer Danelle Tan
Multiple SEA Games table tennis medallist Lin Ye bows out due to back injury Photo credit: Singapore National Olympic Council June 16, 2023 By Khalis Rifhan “Although my back injury has forced me to retire, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible journey I have had as a national player... Thank you, Singapore, I am forever grateful,” she said SINGAPORE — Lin Ye’s journey as a Singapore national table tennis player has been abruptly cut short as she struggles with a persistent back injury in recent years. The Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) officially announced her retirement from the sport. A statement released by STTA revealed that following her withdrawal from the 2022 SEA Games, the 27-year-old athlete encountered challenges in her recovery process, ultimately leading her to make this difficult decision. “On this day, I close a chapter of my life, bidding farewell to the sport that has shaped me into the person I am today. Although my back injury has forced me to retire, I am filled with gratitude for the incredible journey I have had as a national player,” said Lin in a media statement. Born in China, Lin became a Singaporean in 2013 through the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme. She has achieved remarkable success representing Singapore in major games, including winning multiple medals. Notably, at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Lin was a valuable member of the women’s team alongside Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu, Zhou Yihan, and Isabelle Li, that won the gold medal in the team event. She also won the bronze medal in the singles event in 2014 and brought home the silver medal in the team event four years later. “Representing Singapore on the international stage has been a privilege and an honor. From SEA Games to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I have experienced unforgettable moments that will forever hold a special place in my heart. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to experience the unwavering support of my fellow Singaporeans. Your cheers and encouragement fueled my spirit, even during the most challenging times. I am grateful for the love and belief you have shown me,” expressed Lin who won five gold medals at the SEA Games. Her first medal from the regional biennial sports meet came in 2013 in Myanmar from the women’s team event. Two years later, when Singapore hosted the SEA Games, she added two more gold medals in the doubles and team category. It was an all-Singapore final in the women’s doubles, but Lin and Zhou managed to pull off an upset against the more experienced and top-seeded Feng and Yu. Still riding the adrenaline from the 2015 SEA Games, Lin and Zhou had an impressive journey in the Japan Open. In the semi-finals, they defeated Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen of China, one of the tournament’s favourites. However, their luck ran out in the finals as the Chinese pairing of Wu Yang and Liu Fei defeated them. In the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lin won gold and silver medals in the team and doubles events, respectively. Then, in the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, she triumphed with a gold medal in the singles event and a bronze medal in the doubles category. Reflecting on her sporting journey with Team Singapore, Lin fondly expressed, “As I bid farewell to the sport, I cherish the invaluable lessons, friendships, and memories that will shape the upcoming chapter of my life. Table tennis will forever occupy a cherished corner of my heart. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Singapore for its unwavering support and for being an integral part of my remarkable athletic odyssey. Thank you, Singapore, I am forever grateful.”
Amita won the joint-bronze medal alongside Chinese fencer Shi Yue. Han Xinyi Published: 20 June 2023, 4:50 PM Team Singapore fencer Amita Berthier clinched the joint-bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships 2023 held in Wuxi, China on Sunday (Jun 18). Her achievement makes it Singapore’s best performance in the competition and in the local fencing scene. The 22-year-old shares the bronze title in the women’s foil with China’s Shi Yue. She is the first Singaporean fencer to reach the semi-finals of the Championships. She had defeated Hong Kong’s Daphne Chan and South Korea’s Hong Seo-in in the quarter-finals, and lost 15-8 to China’s Chen Qingyuan in the semi-finals. In an interview with The Straits Times, Amita said that her performance has “definitely progressed” and that entering the semi-finals gave her “the opportunity to learn from mistakes made and grow stronger”. Amita – who is a left-handed foil fencer – previously represented Singapore in fencing during the SEA Games in 2017 and 2019, as well as the continental 2018 Asian Games. She won gold for the individual and team foil categories during the 2019 SEA Games, a bronze for the 2018 Asian Games team foil category, and another gold for the 2017 SEA Games individual foil category. She also made her Olympic Games debut during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, after winning the women’s foil at the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This made her the first Singaporean fencer to qualify for the Olympic Games since the Barcelona Games in 1992.
Singapore men’s softball team one step closer to competing at 2025 World Cup Singapore's men's softball team clinched a best-ever second-placed finish at the 2023 Asia Cup on Wednesday. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION Lin Tianbao UPDATED JUN 29, 2023, 12:43 AM SGT SINGAPORE – There were happy faces in the Singapore men’s softball team on Wednesday, despite their 4-0 defeat by world No. 3 Japan in the Asia Cup final in Kochi. After finishing third in 2019 and 2022, the result was the Republic’s best showing at the tournament and booked them a spot in the group stages of the World Cup. Singapore qualified for the final after finishing second in the preliminary round with four wins (Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, India) and a loss (2-0) to Japan. Ranked 12th in the world, they were clearly the underdogs in the final against the hosts, who topped the group with a flawless 5-0 record. National coach Koh Ruoh Jie, 41, was pleased with the team’s performance over the four days. He said: “We didn’t commit many errors and we scored a couple of runs that helped the team eventually win the games in the preliminary rounds. It was definitely our goal to make the final.” For the 2019 SEA Games champions, the 9-5 victory over three-time Asian champions Philippines in the preliminary round was their biggest achievement at the tournament on Shikoku island. Co-captain Marcus Chew, 27, said: “To win against them with a convincing score and to score seven runs in the first inning showed us the effort and improvement made from the last time we faced them.” Koh added that the experience from the 2022 Asia Cup, where they finished third, helped the Singapore players. He said: “We brought back the lessons we learnt from last year, and this year we are more composed and ready. We were prepared for all kinds of situations.” Co-captain Foo Say Kian added: “This was our second major tournament since the Covid-19 pandemic, so that gave us more confidence and composure to finish better. “We’ve matured and progressed as a team and naturally that allowed us to get better on the field. This is the first time we’ve made the finals, and I am proud that we created history.” The Singapore team will compete in the group stages of the World Cup in July 2024, with only eight teams (top six, host nation, best third-placed team) advancing to the 2025 Finals in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Republic last competed at the World Cup in 2019 – they finished 15th – and missed out on the 2022 edition after finishing third in the Asia Cup that year. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Singapore baseball player Kohei Wong out to make his mark in Japan Raffles Institution beat Eunoia Junior College again to claim back-to-back A Division boys’ softball titles
Yahoo Esports SEA VALORANT: Singapore's Bleed Esports into grand finals at VCT Ascension Pacific Bleed will be facing Japanese team SCARZ for the prize. Anna Bernardo ·Contributor Sun, 9 July 2023 at 11:40 am SGT·3-min read Elated with their win, Bleed is one step closer to ascending to the VCT Pacific League. (Photo: Riot Games) The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Ascension Pacific is coming to an end after 9 days of gruelling competition among ten teams in the Asia Pacific region. Two teams remain to battle it out for the VCT Ascension Pacific title, the lion’s share of the US$100,000 prize pool, and a slot for promotion to the VCT Pacific League. Singaporean team Bleed Esports earned their berth in the grand finals after defeating Indonesian team BOOM Esports 2-1 on Saturday (9 July). The team will be facing Japanese team SCARZ, who defeated Filipino squad NAOS Esports 2-1 on the same day. Bleed has had a dominant run throughout the competition so far. (Photo: Riot Games) The Singaporean team dominated the competition from the beginning, finishing first in Group Omega in the Group Stage with a 3-1 record. In the Group Stage, Bleed was almost undefeated, losing only to South Korean team Dplus (0-2) but sweeping Australian team Bonkers (2-0) and beating South Asian representative Orangutan (2-1) as well as Japanese team SCARZ (2-1). This allowed them to advance to the semifinals at the Playoffs, where they faced BOOM Esports in a best-of-three. At the semis, Bleed were outsmarted by their Indonesian opponents in the first match on Lotus, where BOOM Esports won 14-12. However, Bleed bounced back in the second match on Pearl, catching up to BOOM and winning against them 13-10. In the deciding match on Haven, both teams were evenly matched at 6-6 at halftime, but Bleed outscored their Indonesian rivals 7-4 in the second half to secure a 13-10 victory. Bleed Esports celebrate their 2-1 win against BOOM Esports at the Semifinals match of the VCT Ascension Pacific. (Photo: Riot Games) Meanwhile, Japanese team SCARZ defeated Filipino representatives NAOS Esports 2-1, taking the first match on Pearl in a close 13-11. However, the Filipino team fought back in the second match on Ascent, taking on SCARZ with a 13-11 score. Putting everything on the line in the final match on Fracture, SCARZ dominated the third match, scoring 13-2 on the final map. Bleed will be facing Japanese team SCARZ in the Grand Finals on Sunday (10 July). (Photo: Riot Games) Meanwhile, NAOS Esports and BOOM Esports are eliminated from the competition in 3rd-4thplace, taking home US $10,000. Both Bleed Esports and SCARZ will be going head-to-head in a rematch at the Grand Finals on Sunday (10 July) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. To watch the Grand Finals online, you can tune in to VCT Pacififc’s Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook channels. You can also click the link to find out where you can watch online in your local language. Anna is a freelance writer and photographer. She is a gamer who loves RPGs and platformers, and is a League of Legends geek. She's also a food enthusiast who loves a good cup of black coffee. For more esports news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooEsportsSEA and check out Yahoo Esports Southeast Asia’s Facebook page and Twitter, as well as our Gaming channel on YouTube. '
//E-SPORTS Bleed eSports Are The VCT 2023 Ascension Champions! JULY 10, 2023 ARTICLE BY RAMON DOMINGO FacebookTwitterEmailMessengerTelegram As the VCT 2023 Ascension Pacific champions, Bleed eSports joins fellow Singapore-based team Paper Rex as the 11th VCT Pacific League team. Bleed eSports have proven themselves worthy to join the big leagues as they have been crowned the VCT 2023 Ascension Pacific champions. The Singaporean organization was a clear favorite coming into the tournament, placing top of their group during the first week. That momentum would bring them to a clear 3-0 victory against SCARZ, who eliminated the Philippines’ NAOS esports in the semifinals. The man of the hour was Bleed’s Nutchaphon “sScary” Matarat, the last remaining Thai player in the tournament. His bold plays were essential to Bleed’s victory and placed him as the top KDA player in the entire tournament. sScary is also one of SEA’s veterans and has played in international tournaments. Now that his team has made it to VCT Pacific, he’s looking to make his mark again on the world stage. With the newest member of next year’s VCT Pacific League decided, it’s now time to see which of the remaining Pacific League teams will make it to Champions 2023. Banner image from VCT Pacific on Twitter. Related Stories: Fnatic Sweep The Field And Become The Masters Tokyo Champions Sibol VALORANT Team Grabs Bronze in 2023 SEA Games Team Secret: The PH Team that Shocked the Valorant Scene
Singapore’s Shanti Pereira claims 100m crown at Asian Athletics Championships Singapore's Shanti Pereira after winning the women's 100m final at the Asian Athletics Championships on Friday. ST PHOTO: KIMBERLY KWEK Kimberly Kwek UPDATED JUL 15, 2023, 12:06 AM SGT BANGKOK – As she crossed the line at the Suphachalasai National Stadium on Friday, Shanti Pereira lifted her arms and screamed in celebration. She had just done the unthinkable, writing herself into the history books as she became Singapore’s first gold medallist at the Asian Athletics Championships. Singapore’s sprint queen clocked a sizzling 11.20 seconds to win the women’s 100m final at the regional meet, bettering her previous national mark by 0.06sec. Despite being a tad slower off the blocks, the 26-year-old ended her race superbly to finish ahead of Iran’s Farzaneh Fasihi (11.39sec) and China’s Ge Manqi (11.40sec). Even as her competitors came forward to congratulate her, Pereira still could not quite believe what she had achieved. She told The Straits Times: “That was crazy. I didn’t know the time because when I dipped I didn’t turn to see the clock. I just waited for the announcer to say it and the moment I heard it, I was like ‘Oh my god’. “On top of winning, it was also the time. At first, I was the SEA Games champion, now I’m the Asian champion, it’s freaking crazy.” Pereira’s latest feat comes off the back of her historic achievement at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, as she became the first Singaporean woman to complete the sprint double at the biennial meet after claiming the 100m and 200m titles. Friday’s gold in the Thai capital ended Singapore’s 16-year medal drought at the continental meet. The last athlete to win at the competition was pole vaulter Rachel Yang, who clinched silver in 2007. Shanti Pereira (second from left) finishing her race in 11.20sec, lowering her national record by 0.06sec in the process. ST PHOTO: KIMBERLY KWEK The magnitude of her medal feat had not sunk in for Pereira in her post-race interview at the mixed zone, but the tears flowed freely as she stood atop the podium with the national anthem playing in the background. Did she ever think she would strike gold at the continental meet? “Never,” said Pereira, who did not make the final of the 2019 edition where she finished 11th in the semi-finals. “Just to think 2019 I didn’t even make the final and that was a celebration for me to already make the semis but then now, I can’t even describe it. “I’m not done yet with my season but we’ve hit a lot of goals that we thought were crazy before so I’m just thankful for everything, thankful for the whole process and everything that has come along with it.” SPH Brightcove Video But there will not be time for celebrations for Pereira, whose next race begins on Saturday when the 200m heats and semi-finals will take place, before the final on Sunday. She owns this season’s fastest 200m time in Asia. Her national record of 22.69sec is 0.21sec faster than the No. 2 time held by Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser. Anticipating a packed schedule, coach Luis Cunha already had Pereira’s pre-packed dinner with him while waiting for the medal ceremony, as they wanted to make sure no time was wasted in case she also had to go for anti-doping tests. During her Europe training stint in May and June, they had prepared her for a busy programme by making her compete in back-to-back competitions or take on multiple races in a day. Cunha said: “We are very happy because the goal was achieved... Not only did she win, but she also did it with a time that was world class. “She was able to deliver at the right time... A lot of people can be inspired by her results – that’s pretty much her goals, to inspire people, to inspire young athletes.” Pereira’s dad Clarence and mum Jeet were also part of the vocal Singapore support in the stands. Clarence said: “Based on her time, we know if she can perform she can do it, that’s all we hope for. At this level, it’s hard. She went through the SEA Games, now it’s the Asian level and we’re hoping for the Asian Games.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC Making peace with herself has helped S'pore sprint queen Shanti Pereira win Shanti Pereira clocks 11.50sec to reach semis of Asian Athletics Championships
Shanti Pereira wins 200m for double gold at Asian championships 1 of 2 Shanti Pereira celebrating after winning the women's 200m final at the Asian Athletics Championships on July 16, 2023. ST PHOTO: KIMBERLY KWEK Kimberly Kwek UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO BANGKOK – Shanti Pereira completed an unprecedented sprint double at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships as she stormed to victory in the women’s 200m final on Sunday. Going into the final as one of the favourites, Singapore’s sprint queen carried on her phenomenal form as she crossed the line at the Suphachalasai National Stadium in a championship record of 22.70sec, shaving 0.04sec off the previous mark set by Bahrain’s 2019 winner Salwa Eid Naser, who did not compete in this edition. India’s Jyothi Yarraji (23.13) and China’s Li Yuting (23.25) finished second and third respectively. Shanti, who also won a historic sprint double at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, had clinched Singapore’s first gold medal at the continental meet on Friday when she claimed the 100m crown in a national-record 11.20sec. In the process, the 26-year-old also ended the Republic’s 16-year medal drought at the Asian championships and won the country’s first medal in a track event since 1975. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Singapore’s Shanti Pereira claims 100m crown at Asian Athletics Championships Shanti Pereira qualifies for 200m final, gunning for second gold at Asian Athletics Championships
Singapore's Shanti Pereira takes 200m gold at Asian Athletics Championships for historic sprint double Singapore's Veronica Shanti Pereira at the Asian Athletics Championships on Jul 14, 2023. (Photo: Instagram/Singapore Athletics) 16 Jul 2023 07:31PM(Updated: 16 Jul 2023 07:36PM) SINGAPORE: Singapore sprint queen Shanti Pereira on Sunday (Jul 14) clinched her maiden sprint double at the Asian Athletics Championships, extending her amazing run of form in 2023. The 26-year-old followed up her record-breaking 100m win - the sixth time she had rewritten her national record this year - on Friday by storming home first in the 200m event in Bangkok on Sunday. Starting in lane 8, Pereira obliterated the field in a time of 22.70s, with India's Jyothi Yarraji taking the silver medal in 23.13s and Li Yuting of China coming in third (23.25s). She made history in May by becoming the first Singaporean woman to win both the 100m and 200m events at the same edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Pereira had rewritten the 200m national mark thrice this year, with her 22.69s effort at the SEA Games in Cambodia doubling up as a meet record. While she did not set a new national record in the 200m on Sunday, unlike her time of 11.20s in the 100m two days earlier, she was just 0.01s off from equalling her SEA Games mark. At the last edition of the Asian Athletics Championships in 2019, Pereira did not qualify for the 100m final but she will now return home to Singapore as a double champion of the regional meet.
Shanti Pereira wins 200m for double gold at Asian championships 1 of 3 Shanti Pereira proudly shows her 200m gold after the presentation ceremony. ST PHOTO: KIMBERLY KWEK Kimberly Kwek UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO BANGKOK – Her celebrations were not as exuberant this time, but Shanti Pereira had delivered once again. Just two days after winning the women’s 100m crown at the Asian Athletics Championships, Pereira was first to the line at the Suphachalasai National Stadium in the 200m final on Sunday, sealing an unprecedented sprint double at the continental meet. While she lifted her hands in jubilation again, there were no screams of celebration from Pereira, after she clocked a championship record of 22.70 seconds (0.01sec off her national mark) to secure the 200m title ahead of India’s Jyothi Yarraji (23.13) and China’s Li Yuting (23.25). The previous record of 22.74sec belonged to Bahrain’s 2019 winner Salwa Eid Naser, who did not compete in this edition. But her latest feat in Bangkok did not mean any less to Pereira, who shed tears of joy during the medal ceremony. Speaking to The Straits Times, Pereira said: “Friday was my first individual event, the emotions were crazy and that was after five races, now it’s eight and it’s 200m… so now I’m just really tired but soon enough the emotions will sink in and I did a championship record, which is crazy. “I’m honestly just incredibly happy that I came out of all eight races with good performances... It’s been an incredible week and I’m just very thankful.” Shanti, who also won a historic sprint double at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, had clinched a momentous gold medal for Singapore by winning the 100m in a national record 11.20sec on Friday. In the process, the 26-year-old also ended the Republic’s 16-year medal drought at the Asian meet. It was also Singapore’s first medal in a track event since 1975. Ahead of the 200m final, Pereira was beginning to feel the effects of the packed schedule. She had run seven races before Sunday and while she felt tired, she was determined to deliver. Not even delays before the race could stop her. The start was held up by about five minutes, but Pereira stuck to her routine, doing her warm-up before sitting on the cone at the starting block as she waited for the race to begin. She said: “I was just thinking, you know what, let’s go for it, this is an incredible moment, an incredible opportunity that you are living right now so just enjoy yourself, make the most out of it and just go. “I try not to think so much about the technical aspect, if not it’s so many things happening in my head. So I just try to focus, keep calm and execute.” Shanti Pereira crossing the 200m finish line on the Asian Athletics Championships’ final day way ahead of her rivals. PHOTO: SINGAPORE ATHLETICS MORE ON THIS TOPIC Making peace with herself has helped S'pore sprint queen Shanti Pereira win Singapore’s Shanti Pereira claims 100m crown at Asian Athletics Championships She was also among several South-east Asian winners at the Asian meet. On Sunday, the Vietnamese women’s 4x400m team clinched gold with 3min 32.36sec, while the Philippines’ Ernest Obiena rewrote the championship record to win the pole vault with 5.91m. Earlier, Obiena’s compatriot Robyn Brown had won the women’s 400m hurdles in 57.50sec, while the Thai men’s 4x100m quartet also struck gold in 38.55sec, much to the delight of the home crowd. With Pereira’s two golds, Singapore finished joint sixth with the Philippines in the medal table, as Japan ended top with 16 golds, 11 silvers and 10 bronzes. On the back of what has been a phenomenal year for Pereira, Singapore’s sprint queen has been driven by one thing: To inspire others. She said: “I just want my story to inspire as many people as possible... When you put your mind to it and not care about what other people think, just do you, you can do it. “I hope that message goes across to whoever is going through a tough time. “I went through my own series of downs that was hard to come back from, but as cliche as it sounds, you just have to believe in yourself and trust that it’s your own journey and it doesn’t matter what other people are doing, as long as you are doing what matters to you.” Her coach Luis Cunha certainly believes she has. Struggling to find the words to describe her feats, the Portuguese said: “She almost hit the championship record on Friday and she did today, which means no one ran faster than her ever... “There are no adjectives, this is really something good for her and athletics in Singapore. I think she’s inspiring people in Singapore, she did a fantastic job.” The goal at the start of the season had been to just qualify for the finals, said Cunha, but they shifted the target after realising Pereira had the chance to do even better. With two Asian titles, Pereira is looking forward to the rest of the season. She will return to Singapore for a week before flying off to Europe again to train and prepare for the Aug 19-27 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, followed by the Sept 23-Oct 8 Hangzhou Asian Games. Pereira said: “The fact that Asian champs was this year is a really good indicator of where I stand right now among the top... My results here definitely give me a huge motivation going into it (the Asian Games). “As for world champs, it’s the first time that I will possibly be guaranteed a spot there, not through wild card, so that’s just a whole different experience for me. “It’s not confirmed yet, we still have to wait a couple of weeks to see if I’ve qualified. But either way, it’s been incredible and I just can’t wait to compete there.” But first, Pereira will be hoping for a good night’s rest before she puts on her spikes again. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Shanti Pereira qualifies for 200m final, gunning for second gold at Asian Athletics Championships Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira betters European rivals in 200m win
