Swimming: Schooling out of SG’s SEA Games team, first time since 2011 debut “Ultimately, my country comes first before individual accolades", he said after pulling out of the competition. David Lee The Straits Times Joseph Schooling's withdrawal from the SEA Games again raises the retirement question after a glittering career. PHOTO: ST FILE March 2, 2023 SINGAPORE – For the first time since his 2011 debut, Joseph Schooling will not represent Singapore at the biennial SEA Games. The Republic’s only Olympic champion had qualified for the men’s 100m butterfly and was eligible for the men’s 4x100m medley team. But he was missing from the Singapore Swimming Association’s list, released on Wednesday, of 22 athletes bound for Phnom Penh. The Games will be held from May 5 to 17. Schooling, 27, said: “After careful consideration with my team, I have decided to pull out of the SEA Games. This was not an easy decision, but I am currently not at the level at which I hold myself to perform. “Ultimately, my country comes first before individual accolades. “I have decided to give my spot to teammates who have been getting themselves ready and considered for selection while I cheer from home and focus on my Navy duties.” He enlisted in January 2022 and is a naval supply assistant. The Hanoi SEA Games in May 2022 was his last meet. In his absence, Quah Zheng Wen and Teong Tzen Wei will race in the 100m fly in Cambodia. National swimming head coach Gary Tan said: “He has been a mainstay of the national team for quite some time and I know that Joe believes as well that there are capable swimmers in the team who can step up to the challenge. “The team will miss his presence but we will keep moving forward.” Schooling’s participation at the Sept 23-Oct 8 Hangzhou Asian Games is also not confirmed, although he has qualified for the 50m, 100m fly and 100m freestyle plus two relays. The Asiad was postponed from 2022 due to China’s Covid-19 restrictions. His withdrawal from the SEA Games – he also skipped the 2022 Commonwealth Games despite qualifying for it – again raises the retirement question after a glittering career. Besides that historic victory at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he has won three Asian Games golds, a Commonwealth Games silver, and 29 titles at the SEA Games. In an interview with Yahoo last April, he said: “I’m going to be 27 this year, and there are a lot of things outside the pool that I’ll want to move on to after I’m done swimming. “Right now the question is, ‘Okay, do I still want to do Paris (Olympics)? Or do I stop and reassess where I want to go after the Asian Games?’ “Also, how do I balance what I need to do NS-wise and getting the training I need? Because if this schedule persists, I don’t think I can make it to 2024 in Paris.” After clinching two golds in the 100m fly and medley relay – his lowest haul since 2011 – in Hanoi, Schooling had called for a “national dialogue” on national service, highlighting the need to manage the expectations of athletes who are undergoing NS. However, he was then embroiled in a drug controversy that same year, in which he and fellow swimmers Teong and Amanda Lim admitted to consuming cannabis. The trio’s support was suspended by Sport Singapore and they were banned from national team training for a month after an internal review. Schooling, Teong and Lim were also fined $10,000, $3,200 and $2,800 respectively by the Singapore National Olympic Council for breaching its code of conduct. Schooling has not returned to national team training as he is in NS, with the Ministry of Defence noting previously that, “given his abuse of disruption privileges”, he would no longer be eligible for leave or disruption to train or compete while in NS. Despite his absence, Singapore will head to the Cambodian capital confident of retaining its status as the region’s top swimming nation after winning 21 golds, 11 silvers and 12 bronzes in Hanoi. The contingent include the in-form Teong, who became South-east Asia’s fastest man after he clocked 21.93sec in the 50m free in Hanoi. He also bagged a Commonwealth Games silver in the 50m fly at Birmingham 2022. Another standout swimmer is Gan Ching Hwee, who swept the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m titles in the women’s free in Hanoi. The only SEA Games rookie in the squad is Nicholas Mahabir, 17, and owner of the 100m breaststroke national record. His personal best of 1min 0.37sec is faster than Vietnamese Pham Thanh Bao’s SEA Games mark of 1:01.17 set in Hanoi. Tan said: “This team has a good mix of youth and experience and we are confident of a strong showing in Cambodia. “It will be a busy year, with the SEA Games in May, the World Championships in July and the Asian Games in September. “But the swimmers have prepared well and are looking forward to priming themselves for the upcoming meets.” Schooling’s SEA Games golds 2011 Palembang: 2 golds (both individual events) 2013 Naypyidaw: 6 (3 individual, 3 relay events) 2015 Singapore: 9 (6, 3) 2017 Kuala Lumpur: 6 (3, 3) 2019 Manila: 4 (1, 3) 2022 Hanoi: 2 (1, 1) Singapore’s swim team in Cambodia Ardi Zulhilmi Azman (Aquarian Aquatic School), Ashley Lim, Letitia Sim, Darren Chua, Glen Lim, Jonathan Tan, Nicholas Mahabir, Teong Tzen Wei, Zachary Tan (Aquatech Swimming Club), Maximillian Ang (Aquatic Masters Swim Club), Bonnie Yeo, Chan Zi Yi, Christie Chue, Nur Marina Chan, Faith Khoo, Ong Jung Yi, Mikkel Lee (Chinese Swimming Club), Gan Ching Hwee (Singapore Swimming Club), Amanda Lim, Quah Jing Wen, Quah Ting Wen, Quah Zheng Wen (Swimfast Aquatic Club) Sports The Straits Times
Athletics: Shanti Pereira breaks her own 100m national record Singapore's Shanti Pereira (extreme right) clocked 11.46sec to break her 100m national record of 11.48sec at the New Zealand Track And Field Championships. PHOTO: SINGAPORE ATHLETICS Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED MAR 3, 2023, 10:33 PM SGT SINGAPORE – After an incredible 2022 that saw her break records and win her second SEA Games 200m gold, sprinter Shanti Pereira has picked up where she left off in her season opener in New Zealand. The 26-year-old rewrote her own 100m national record at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in Wellington’s Newtown Park on Friday. Competing in her first race of the year, she clocked 11.46 seconds to win her heat. Her previous best of 11.48sec was set last August at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. While she managed to shave off another 0.02sec in the final, where she finished third, it was not registered as a national mark owing to the strong tailwind of 3.4 metres per second, which exceeded the 2.0 limit. New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs was first in 10.89sec, while compatriot Rosie Elliott clocked 11.36sec to finish second. Speaking to The Straits Times from New Zealand, where she is currently on a month-long training camp, Pereira said that she expects to see the “best version of myself” in 2023, especially after she started full-time training in January. Last November, national agency Sport Singapore announced that Pereira – who also holds the 200m national record – had joined the Sport Excellence (Spex) Scholarship programme, which provides financial and other support to prepare athletes to excel at major Games. She said: “I always want to be the best version of myself and I am glad to be given this opportunity to train full time. It helps me a lot in terms of training and eventual competition because it really has improved my focus and I am able to have much better recovery.” “When I was working and previously when I was a student, during the day, there was just not enough time for rest because I have to be running from one place to another. It was also difficult to manage sleep and diet. “Now, this (full-time training) gives me a very good opportunity to achieve even more. “This was my first race of the year and my expectations were to execute the techniques as well as possible. Based on training, I knew I was in a good shape.” On top of her bids to retain her 200m title and improve on her 100m silver at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, Pereira is also eyeing other major events such as the July 12-16 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, the Aug 19-27 World Athletics Championships in Budapest and the Hangzhou Asian Games from Sept 23 to Oct 8. Her 100m time of 11.46sec in New Zealand puts her in good stead for the upcoming SEA Games. At the 2021 Games in Hanoi, she finished second in 11.62sec, with Filipina Kayla Richardson first in 11.60sec and Thailand’s Supanich Poolkerd third in 11.66sec. Richardson’s personal best is 11.57 from May 2021. Deeming it as a “huge year ahead”, Pereira’s coach Luis Cunha is pleased that she is now a full-time athlete. He said: “When you can commit fully as an athlete, you can definitely expect to benefit from that. The change in her lifestyle gives her a good opportunity to improve and I am excited about what is to come from her.” After this, she will compete at the Sydney Track Classic next Saturday.
SEA Games: Cycling chief Hing Siong Chen to lead Team Singapore in Cambodia Dr Hing Siong Chen (centre), chef de mission for Singapore at the Cambodia SEA Games, with his assistants, former national footballer Lim Tong Hai (left) and ex-national bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan. PHOTO: SNOC UPDATED FEB 28, 2023, 6:47 PM SGT SINGAPORE – Singapore Cycling Federation president Hing Siong Chen will be the Republic’s chef de mission at the SEA Games in Cambodia in May, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) announced on Tuesday. The 50-year-old family physician, who is also a member of the SNOC’s executive committee, will have two assistant chefs de mission in former national footballer Lim Tong Hai and ex-national bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan. Fifty-six athletes also earned the nod at the SNOC Appeals Committee meeting on Monday and will join the 516 selected earlier. A total of 572 athletes will compete across 30 sports at the May 5-17 Games. Among those whose appeals were successful are athletes in e-sports (mixed Valorant team), jiu-jitsu, pentanque and sepak takraw. Dr Hing said: “Leading Team Singapore at the SEA Games is a tremendous privilege which I am looking forward to with plenty of excitement. “Being able to do so with two capable and experienced former national athletes – Jasmine and Tong Hai – puts us in good stead in our preparations for the Games. “I wish all Team Singapore athletes who are training hard to perform at Cambodia the best, and look forward to a successful outing in May.” At the previous edition in Hanoi, Singapore returned home with 47 gold, 46 silver and 71 bronze medals. Their best haul was at home in 2015 – 84 golds, 73 silvers and 102 bronzes – while the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur (58-59-71) was the best away Games.
Singapore U-17 men’s foil team win historic gold at Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships Singapore's U-17 men's foil fencing team of (from left) Loo Keyon, Du Yun Tao, Samuel Robson and Sean Ho claimed a historic gold medal. PHOTO: FENCING SINGAPORE Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED MAR 5, 2023, 11:41 PM SGT SINGAPORE – It was their first outing as a quartet in a major competition, but the Singapore Under-17 men’s foil fencing team did not let a lack of experience stop them from overcoming Asian powerhouses to win a historic gold at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Sean Ho, 16, Du Yun Tao, 15, Samuel Robson, 16 and Loo Keyon, 17, clinched Singapore’s first gold medal in the event after overcoming top seeds Japan 45-25 in the final on Sunday. Fencing Singapore technical director Marko Milic praised the mental fortitude of his young charges after they prevailed in the 16-team competition. The Serb pointed to how the quartet showed grit to edge out China 42-41 in a closely contested semi-final to earn their place in the title decider, after coming back from 11 points down to beat Australia 45-37 in the quarter-finals. Milic said: “Team spirit was important for these boys. The medal comes as a result of the effort they have put into their craft. “Along the way, we had a few close bouts where we really needed to show character, especially when we were down. The boys handled the mental aspect of the game really well. “Fencing as a sport is more of a mental game and it is really important to believe in yourself. “Those boys have high technical skills and here they showed mental resilience to win the gold.” Singapore’s previous best result in the men’s foil team was a silver medal – in the 2015 and 2016 editions. They won a bronze in 2019. The 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to Covid-19 while the Republic did not send a contingent in 2022. The team gold adds to the bronze won by Sean in the men’s individual foil on Friday. In the cadet women’s events, Singapore’s epee team finished sixth out of 11 teams, while the sabre team were seventh out of nine sides. Sean said it has been a memorable outing in his first competition of this scale, adding: “It was quite surreal being able to pit my skills against some of Asia’s best and come away with a bronze and gold medal... “It feels good to know my level and I am looking forward to more of such competitions.” For Samuel, the gold is a timely boost ahead of his SEA Games debut in Cambodia from May 5-17, when he will compete in the individual and team foil events. He said: “It’s a big boost in confidence. I know that with all my teammates at Fencing Singapore, we have good chemistry and we can all work well together. “My first win has showed me that you do not need to look at the opponents based on their flag. “We just went out there and fenced to the best of our ability and were able to get the victory. “We didn’t focus on the opponents or what their skill level was and I hope to do similar things in Cambodia.” With a young quartet rising to the fore against Asia’s best, Milic is excited for the future of Singapore fencing. He said: “This win means a lot. These cadets, they are the future. Fortunately for us, we have not lost progress despite the Covid-19 disruption. “Every country had similar problems but our cadets have remained highly motivated. “We are starting a new era and this is an encouragement that we should continue to improve our system and aspire for more medals. “We are heading in the right direction and as I am confident and excited about the future of fencing for Singapore.”
Singapore to host Asian Water Polo Championships in March, featuring the continent’s top teams Singapore A’s Jayden See (white cap) in action against Indonesia at the Inter Nations Water Polo Cup in May 2022. The Singapore men's water polo are hoping to regain the SEA Games gold medal in Cambodia in May 2023. ST FILE PHOTO Su Thet Hnin San UPDATED 6 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE – Sports fans in Singapore will be able to catch a preview of the Asian Games water polo competition, as the Republic hosts the Asian Water Polo Championships for the first time from March 22-27. The continent’s giants such as China, Kazakhstan and Iran will be taking part in the meet, which is sanctioned by the Asia Swimming Federation and features both men and women’s competitions at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, said the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) in a press statement on Wednesday. SSA vice-president (water polo) Dominic Soh said: “Singapore is honoured to be given the opportunity to host an event of such stature.... We are on the lookout for competitions that will not only test our athletes against top opposition, but also allow us to gain more experience in hosting big events.” Besides helping the Singapore teams prepare for the May 5-17 SEA Games in Cambodia, this meet will also serve as a qualifier for the May 1-7 World Cup, Division 2, in Berlin. The men’s competition, which comprises eight teams, starts with a round-robin stage before proceeding to the play-offs, with the top four sides earning their spots in Berlin. Singapore are in Group A with Uzbekistan, China and Thailand, while Group B comprises Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, Iran and the Philippines. The women’s event will feature only four teams – Singapore, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Uzbekistan – and will be played in a double round-robin format. The top two teams will qualify for Berlin. In the 2022 edition of the Asian championships in Thailand, the Singapore men’s team finished sixth out of 10 sides, one spot above regional rivals Thailand, while the women’s team placed fifth out of six. National men’s coach Kan Aoyagi said the upcoming event will be a good test of “how far we’ve come and how much we have to improve if we want to be one of the top water polo countries in Asia”. “We have set a goal of winning a medal at the 2030 Asian Games and events like this on home soil will be a good opportunity for our teams to show the home crowd what they are capable of,” he said. The Japanese had previously said Singapore are hoping to better their sixth-place showing at the 2018 Asian Games when they do battle at the Hangzhou Asiad in September. They are also targeting the SEA Games gold in Cambodia, after Singapore’s 27-gold winning streak in the biennial Games ended in the Philippines in 2019, when they won only a bronze. Water polo was not contested at the Hanoi Games in 2022. As an alternative, Singapore hosted the Inter Nations Cup, a six-team tournament at the OCBC Aquatic Centre last May. The Republic fielded two sides, with its A team emerging champions after beating Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore B. Asia Swimming Federation secretary-general Taha Al Kishry said that it is excited to bring the continental meet to Singapore for the first time. He added: “With the Asian Games set to take place later this year, 2023 will be an exciting year for water polo... “We have a stellar line-up of teams and with slots at the World Cup up for grabs, competition will be very keen in Singapore.” Tickets for the event are available at https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/waterpolo0323
Table Tennis: Local player Izaac Quek scores shock victory over India’s Achanta at S’pore Smash Quek Yong Izaac returning a shot against Sharath Kamal Achanta in the men's singles quarter-finals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in August 2022. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Kolette Lim UPDATED MAR 12, 2023, 1:00 AM SGT SINGAPORE – Making his senior debut at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in August 2022, Izaac Quek saw his campaign end in the men’s singles quarter-finals after a 4-0 defeat by eventual champion Sharath Kamal Achanta. On Saturday, the 16-year-old found himself across the table from the Indian veteran once again in his opening match at the World Table Tennis Singapore Smash. And the plucky player swiftly turned the tables on his opponent, who at 40 is more than double his age and is ranked 191 places above him at world No. 51. With the OCBC Arena slowly coming to life on a Saturday afternoon, the lunchtime crowd of about 100 were as surprised as Izaac to witness his 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 12-10) victory against Achanta, as he became the first Singaporean to win a men’s singles match in the main draw of the tournament. Izaac, who had expected to lose the rematch, said: “He’s a very experienced player who has played in many major Games and has a lot of experience in competitions. I was ready to face the same difficulties as I did last year. “I started playing in many men’s tournaments this year, so I’ve been transitioning well from playing at the youth to senior level. So I was more prepared for this match as compared to last year, when my playing style was not very mature.” Izaac, who is the first Singaporean to top the Under-15 boys’ world rankings, added: “He made a lot of changes in the last set, so I had to adapt to his play and calm myself down and just focus on playing the game a point at a time.” He will play Sweden’s world No. 36 Mattias Falck in the next round. The teenager was back on court later for the mixed doubles with partner Zhou Jingyi, as the duo were beaten 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-5) by South Korea’s Shin Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hoon in the first round. Singapore’s Koen Pang and Wong Xin Ru also made a first-round exit after losing 3-1 (11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8) to Austrian duo Sofia Polcanova and Robert Gardos. Also bowing out in the women’s singles were Goi Rui Xuan and Wong, who were beaten 3-1 and 3-0 by Egypt’s Dina Meshref and Hungary’s Georgina Pota respectively. Earlier in the day, world No. 56 Zeng Jian had seemed poised for an upset win over France’s world No. 19 Yuan Jia Nan in the women’s singles, but eventually lost 3-2 (11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 5-11, 11-8). But the Singaporean made up for the disappointment in the last match of the day, partnering Clarence Chew to defeatNicholas Lum and Jee Minhyung of Australia 3-1 (6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6) in the mixed doubles. The pair had also beaten Lum and Jee in their previous encounter at the 2022 Commonwealth Games to claim the bronze medal. Chew, 27, said: “We were prepared technically and had an idea of how to execute our play. During the first set, they were very aggressive and we were caught by surprise, but for the subsequent three sets we managed to get into rhythm and take it slow.” Day one of the Singapore Smash went largely according to script, with the tournament’s top players breezing through their first-round matches. China’s men’s world No. 1 Fan Zhendong defeated Sweden’s Anton Kallberg 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-7), while compatriot Chen Meng, ranked second, beat Japan’s Miyu Nagasaki 3-1 in the women’s singles. But Germany’s world No. 9 Dimitrij Ovtcharov was sent packing after a 3-2 (6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6) loss to Japan’s 49th-ranked Shunsuke Togami. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Table tennis: Doubles duo Falck, Karlsson serving up a Swedish renaissance Table tennis: No longer chasing gold, China’s Ma Long finds serenity in his journey
Author : WTT Team | 2 days ago Quek Izaac is the first-ever Singapore player to make the Men’s Singles round of 16 at Singapore Smash after posting an extraordinary comeback win over Mattias Falck (6-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-9, 12-10). Ranked at No.242 in the ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings, Quek entered the event as a huge underdog but the wildcard entry made major headlines in the opening round with a crushing 3-0 victory over Sharath Kamal Achanta. Revelling in his performance, Quek had already done the Singapore crowd proud with his round of 64 win, but he wasn’t ready to pack his bags just yet as he chased more success on home soil. Taking on a player ranked 206 positions above him in World No.36 Falck, Quek was prepared for a tough ride, and two games in it looked as though he had met his match, dropping both games in quick succession. "When I was 2-0 down, all I was telling myself was to think about the skills — not about winning or losing and just give it my all. I had nothing to lose even when I was 2-0 down and even when things were not going my way, I didn't give up and I tried to think of more strategies to win." Quek Izaac A faint glimmer of hope appeared for the Singapore faithful as Quek hit back in game three, and soon that hope turned into real belief with another game falling in the local hero’s favour, forcing the match down to the wire. Following a stunning shift in dynamic, the pressure was now on Falck’s shoulders not to let the win slip through his fingers, and it appeared the 2019 World Championships silver medallist had done enough to avoid elimination, holding two match points at 8-10. "When I was 2 match points down, I was just thinking about the strategies and telling myself that I’ve already played untill 3-2 so no matter what, it’s still a win for me. So I just gave it my all." Quek Izaac However, the Swedish player would end up leaving Infinity Arena in defeat as Quek summoned up a late charge to send the home crowd into rapturous applause. "Words can’t describe how I’m feeling right now. But all I can say is, I'm very happy. The experience out there with such a big crowd and everybody supporting me – I'd like to thank everyone. I definitely heard them during the match and that's what brought me the win today." Quek Izaac The win marks a significant moment in Quek’s career with his passage to the round of 16 securing his place in the World Top 100 for the first time. The teenager will see if he can keep the fairytale alive as he will now face WTT Cup Finals 2022 winner Wang Chuqin in the round of 16. Related Articles WTT Grand Smash Will The Fairytale Continue On Day 5? Day 5 at Singapore Smash 2023 is ready to land in the Lion City. After another day of insane action at OCBC arena where no seed was safe , Day 5 looks to deliver even more spectacle with the athletes rearing to make a splash in the headlines. With such an action packed day, here are four matches... WTT Grand Smash Seeds Crash Out In Unforgiving Round Of 32 After four days of main draw action at Singapore Smash 2023 just 10 seeds are left standing in the Women’s Singles event, with six of the World’s best players dropping out in an unforgiving round of 32. Tuesday saw two seeded entries exit the Women’s Singles draw with high profile departures ... WTT Grand Smash Another Upset In Singapore As Joo Overwhelms Doo Qualifier Joo Cheonhui has booked a dream spot in the Women’s Singles round of 16 at Singapore Smash 2023 after posting a staggering 3-0 win over 9th seed Doo Hoi Kem (11-3, 11-8, 13-11). Starting her debut Singapore Smash campaign in the qualifying rounds, World No.104 Joo required four ... (The official website: Tickets: Singapore Smash 2023 @ Multiple Venues | 07 Mar 2023 (Tue.) ~ 19 Mar 2023 (Sun.) | Ticketmaster SG
Table tennis: Izaac Quek’s brave Singapore Smash run ended by China’s Wang Chuqin in last 16 The past week has given the table tennis fraternity a glimpse of Izaac Quek’s potential. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO David Lee Sports Correspondent UPDATED MAR 16, 2023, 12:57 AM SGT SINGAPORE – Izaac Quek’s fairy-tale run at the Singapore Smash ended on Wednesday, as a 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-7) defeat by China’s third-ranked Wang Chuqin showed him there is still plenty of work to do if he is to become a truly world-class player. In the earlier rounds, the 16-year-old had rallied from 2-0 down to beat Sweden’s world No. 36 and men’s doubles world champion Mattias Falck 3-2, after sweeping India’s 51st-ranked Commonwealth Games champion Sharath Kamal Achanta 3-0. But even playing at the OCBC Arena in front of local fans that included 250 players from the Singapore Table Tennis Association’s junior development squad, 22-year-old Wang demonstrated how he is of a different level. This was evident by the fact Izaac struggled to find clear winners, managing to earn points mainly off his opponent’s errors. Izaac never led in the first or second game, trailing by as many as seven and five points respectively. The world No. 241 said: “Usually, my service against left-handers are not bad, but I couldn’t find a way past him as he is already used to different spins and services training with the best players in China and has very high shot quality. “In the third game, I decided to play more rallies because his short game is definitely better than mine. I tried different strategies but there was still no way for way to win, which proves I’m still not strong enough and have to continue to work hard to improve.” Nevertheless, the past week has given the fraternity a glimpse of Izaac’s potential. Earlier in the day, he and Koen Pang had combined as the world No. 200 men’s doubles pair, manfully taking a game off China’s fourth-ranked Fan Zhendong and Wang before losing 3-1 (11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6) in the round of 16. Both Singaporeans are also projected to become the first local-born players to crack the top 100 of the men’s singles world rankings next Tuesday. Wang, who will play compatriot and world No. 12 Lin Gaoyuan in the quarter-finals, also had kind words for Izaac. He said: “He is a promising local player and beating some of the top players to reach the top 16 at such a high-level event will be good for his development.” There will be no time for Izaac to catch his breath though, as he is heading to Turkey for the March 19-25 WTT Youth Contender Antalya and March 27-April 1 WTT Feeder Antalya events. He has also made the national men’s team that will compete at the May 5-17 SEA Games in Cambodia. Said Izaac: “Many people have congratulated me and I appreciate the support from Singaporeans, but I know I still have a lot to improve on in terms of technique and variety and I hope I can play more of such high-level matches to learn from the best.” His men’s singles exploits netted him a cool US$15,000 (S$20,300), while he will also split the US$2,000 winnings from the men’s doubles. But the down-to-earth Singapore Sports School student has not thought about how to use it, and said: “I’m still young, so I’ll just save it and use it another time.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC Table tennis: Five things to know about S’pore’s Izaac Quek Table tennis: Young and old stars shine at Singapore Smash
China sweeps women’s singles semifinal berths at WTT Singapore Smash The SportsGrail Desk Mar 18 2023 Singapore, March 17 Chinese paddlers have secured the women’s singles and doubles titles of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash here on Friday. Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Qian Tianyi and Zhang Rui took up all four spots in the women’s singles semifinals. Top-ranked Sun came out the winner in a seven-set thriller against Joo Cheon-hui of South Korea. World No. 104 Joo gave her all to drag the match into a decider, where Sun eventually won 11-5, reports Xinhua. Monaco’s Yang Xiaoxin had a better start to the game with an 11-7 win in the first set, but the fourth-ranked Wang quickly made her response by taking the next four games: 11-7, 11-9, 12-10, 11-2. Sun and Wang will vie for a spot in the final. Qian won in a similar manner as Wang, recovering from her loss in the first set to dispatch Sofia Polcanova of Austria 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6. Zhang beat 39-year-old German chopper Han Ying 4-1 to book a semifinal clash with Qian. In the women’s doubles semifinals, Wang Manyu/Sun Yingsha sailed past South Korean duo Shin Yu-bin/Jeon Ji-hee 3-0, while Chen Meng/Wang Yidi defeated Mima Ito/Hina Hayata of Japan 3-1. Reigning Olympic champion Ma Long got past Germany’s Qiu Dang in straight sets in the men’s singles quarterfinal. “It was probably the best match that I have played since the Singapore Smash last year. In terms of my form and hits, I performed well on the court, and I felt relatively comfortable today,” commented 34-year-old Ma. Ma’s semifinal opponent will be Brazilian ace Hugo Calderano, who overwhelmed Quadri Aruna of Nigeria 4-0. Wang Chuqin saw off compatriot Lin Gaoyuan 4-1, setting up a semifinal encounter with the tournament’s top seed Fan Zhendong, who accounted for Swedish prodigy Truls Moregard 4-2. Also on Friday, Fan and Wang paired up to emerge victorious 3-1 in the men’s doubles semifinal over Yukiya Uda/Shunsuke Togami of Japan. The Chinese duo will contend for the title with Jang Woo-jin/Lim Jong-hoon of South Korea, who defeated Lin Yun-Ju/Chuang Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei 3-1. –IANS
TABLE TENNIS WTT Singapore Smash 2023 results today, day 7 schedule, date, time, tickets, score, draw, players, live stream Subhankar Panigrahy Mar 17 2023 Know the latest results, schedule, draw, date, time, venue, & live stream details of the 2023 WTT Singapore Smash It is confirmed that a total of $100,000 in prize money & 2,000 ranking points will be awarded to each singles category winner at the WTT Singapore Smash, while the winning mixed doubles team of Wang & Sun will receive about $12,000 in cash. It is well known that the total prize pool for this competition will be $2 million. The semi-final matches for the men’s & women’s doubles categories will be contested on Friday. At the 2023 WTT Singapore Smash, Wang Chuqin & Sun Yingsha successfully defended their Mixed Doubles championship thanks to resounding 3-1 (11-2, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8) victory against third-seed Japanese pair Tomokazu Harimoto & Hina Hayata. With this victory, Wang & Sun, who are ranked No. 1 in the Mixed Doubles, reaffirmed their position at the top and wowed the raucous crowd inside OCBC Arena. The match, which was a rematch of the Mixed Doubles championship match from the Houston 2021 World Championships, had all the makings of an exciting contest, and it didn’t let down. Meanwhile, Joo Cheonhui defeated eighth-seeded Kasumi Ishikawa 3-1 (9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-7) to become the first-ever player from Korea Republic to qualify for the Women’s Singles quarterfinal at a WTT Grand Smash tournament. At the Singapore Smash, Quadri Aruna overcame his losing streak against Tomokazu Harimoto after defeating the Men’s Singles fourth-seeded player 3-0 (11-7, 13-11, 11-7). Start Time Round Event Category Name Match Results 13:00 Round of 16 Men’s Singles Quadri ARUNA 3-0 16/03/2023 Tomokazu HARIMOTO 11-7,13-11,11-7 13:35 Round of 16 Women’s Singles SUN Yingsha 3-0 16/03/2023 Nina MITTELHAM 11-6,11-8,11-6 14:10 Round of 16 Men’s Singles Felix LEBRUN 2-3 16/03/2023 Dang QIU 10-12,8-11,11-4,11-5,9-11 14:45 Round of 16 Women’s Singles Xiaoxin YANG 3-0 16/03/2023 Suthasini SAWETTABUT 11-6,11-8,11-8 15:30 Final Mixed Doubles WANG Chuqin/SUN Yingsha 3-1 16/03/2023 Tomokazu HARIMOTO/Hina HAYATA 11-2,5-11,11-9,11-8 18:30 Quarterfinal Women’s Doubles WANG Manyu/SUN Yingsha 3-1 16/03/2023 DOO Hoi Kem/ZHU Chengzhu 11-6,11-6,7-11,11-5 18:30 Quarterfinal Men’s Doubles Jakub DYJAS/Cedric NUYTINCK 2-3 16/03/2023 LIN Yun-Ju/CHUANG Chih-Yuan 9-11,15-13,11-6,4-11,10-12 19:00 Round of 16 Men’s Singles LEE Sangsu 0-3 16/03/2023 MA Long 3-11,9-11,6-11 19:05 Quarterfinal Men’s Doubles Gaston ALTO/Horacio CIFUENTES 1-3 16/03/2023 JANG Woojin/LIM Jonghoon 9-11,16-14,10-12,8-11 19:05 Quarterfinal Women’s Doubles CHEN Meng/WANG Yidi 3-1 16/03/2023 Xia Lian NI/Sarah DE NUTTE 12-10,11-5,10-12,11-4 19:35 Round of 16 Women’s Singles JOO Cheonhui 3-1 16/03/2023 Kasumi ISHIKAWA 9-11,11-4,11-6,11-7 19:40 Quarterfinal Women’s Doubles Sofia POLCANOVA/Bernadette SZOCS 1-3 16/03/2023 SHIN Yubin/JEON Jihee 8-11,11-9,5-11,5-11 19:40 Quarterfinal Men’s Doubles Yukiya UDA/Shunsuke TOGAMI 3-2 16/03/2023 Dang QIU/Benedikt DUDA 8-11,12-10,11-7,4-11,11-3 20:10 Round of 16 Men’s Singles Hugo CALDERANO 3-1 16/03/2023 Darko JORGIC 12-10,11-8,7-11,11-5 20:15 Quarterfinal Men’s Doubles FAN Zhendong/WANG Chuqin 3-0 16/03/2023 Anton KALLBERG/LEE Sangsu 11-5,11-5,11-5 20:15 Quarterfinal Women’s Doubles Linda BERGSTROM/Christina KALLBERG 1-3 16/03/2023 Mima ITO/Hina HAYATA 11-7,2-11,4-11,9-11 20:45 Round of 16 Women’s Singles WANG Manyu 3-1 16/03/2023 Adriana DIAZ 11-7,11-3,6-11,11-8 When & Where to Watch Singapore Smash 2023: live stream & telecast It is confirmed that the 2023 WTT Singapore Smash will take place from March 7 through March 19 at the Singapore’s OCBC Arena. Table tennis fans can watch the tournament for free through the WTT association’s official YouTube website, which supports free streaming. On the official WTT Facebook page, Indian fans can catch it live. Additionally, fans may purchase tickets right here.
Swimming: Glen Lim rewrites men’s 800m freestyle record at S’pore National Age Group C’ships Glen Lim shaved more than two seconds off his previous best. PHOTO: ANDY CHUA/SSA Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED MAR 19, 2023, 7:33 PM SGT SINGAPORE – National swimmer Glen Lim revved up for May’s SEA Games in style on Saturday, when he rewrote his national 800m freestyle record at the 53rd Singapore National Age Group (SNAG) Swimming Championships. At the OCBC Aquatic Centre, Lim who is from the AquaTech Swimming Club, shaved more than two seconds off his previous best when he clocked 8min 6.98sec to win the race. His previous record of 8:09.61 was set at the Singapore National Swimming Championships in 2019. Japan’s Kei Yamasaki was second in 8:20.98 followed by Nicholas Karel Subagyo from Indonesia in 8:20.99. Lim, who celebrates his 21st birthday on March 28, said: “I’m pretty happy about my swim, as it has been a long time since I’ve hit a national record. “I did not expect to hit that time today, but it is surely a welcome sight. It’s also a nice advance birthday present.” On his SEA Games preparation, he added: “After SNAG, we (the national team) are going to have a small training camp to help us get back into shape, so I think we are pretty prepared going into SEA Games. I hope to at least get a podium finish for all my events. I also hope to better my two bronzes.” At the May 5-17 Games in Cambodia, he will swim in the 400m free, an event in which he holds the national record of 3:52.64 set in 2019. Lim is also the Republic’s fastest 1,500m free swimmer, having clocked 15:30.87 at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines. Vietnam’s Nguyen Huy Hoang had won the 400m gold at the Hanoi SEA Games in 3:48.06, which is also a Games record. The men’s 800m free is not part of the Cambodia Games programme but is in the Sept 23-Oct 8 Hangzhou Asian Games and July 14-30 World Aquatics Championships. Lim is currently in Singapore National Olympic Council’s long list of athletes bound for China, where he has qualified for the 200m, 400m and 800m free. Lim was Singapore’s youngest male swimmer when he made his Games debut in 2017. He clinched two bronze medals at the last Games in Hanoi in 2022 – in the 400m free and as part of the 4x200m free team alongside Quah Zheng Wen, Jonathan Tan and Joseph Schooling. Singapore finished top of the swimming competition in Hanoi, with 21 golds, 11 silvers and 12 bronzes, clear of Vietnam (11-11-3) and Thailand (4-9-9). MORE ON THIS TOPIC Singapore’s swimmers gear up for a busy 2023 after a successful year Athletes aim high for 2023 Asian Games, chef de mission team unveiled
China sweep five titles at WTT Singapore Smash E-mailXinhua, March 20, 2023 Top-ranked Sun Yingsha and Fan Zhendong came out as the women's and men's singles winners as China took all five titles on offer at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash on Sunday After sharing the spoils with her teammate Qian Tianyi in the first two games, Sun won the next three games 13-11, 11-6, 11-7 to secure her title in the women's singles. It was Sun's third crown in Singapore this year following her victories in the women's doubles and mixed doubles. "I'm very happy to win three titles in one tournament," said Sun. "When I played at a later stage, I felt good in terms of concentration and fitness, and hopefully, I will continue to work hard in the upcoming matches." Fan won the opening two games 11-5, 13-11 against his 34-year-old teammate Ma Long, who achieved a Grand Slam-winning feat in his career before Ma pulled one game back 11-8. But Fan regrouped again afterward to win the next two games 11-9, 11-9 to stand on top of the podium in the men's singles event. "It seems that Ma is not affected by his age and he seems to have become better than himself in the past," admitted Fan. "So I need to do well both technically and mentally and get ready for any situation ahead of the match." Prior to Sun and Fan's triumph in the singles events on Sunday, Wang Manyu/Sun Yingsha were crowned in the women's doubles on Saturday after getting past their teammates Chen Meng/Wang Yidi in full games, Fan Zhendong/Wang Chuqin defeated South Korean duo Jang Woo-jin/Lim Jong-hoon 3-1 in the men's doubles final, and Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha defeated Tomokazu Harimoto/Hina Hayata of Japan 3-1 in the mixed doubles final on Thursday.
Coach Luis Cunha surprised as Shanti Pereira breaks national records for 3 straight days National sprinter Shanti Pereira (right) and her coach Luis Cunha after she achieved her latest national record on Sunday. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LUIS CUNHA Deepanraj Ganesan UPDATED 16 MINS AGO SINGAPORE – The records just keep tumbling for national sprinter Shanti Pereira. On Sunday, the 26-year-old clocked 22.89 seconds for her latest national mark en route to winning her 200m heat at the Australian Open Track and Field Championships in Brisbane. It eclipsed her previous best – set on March 25 at the Brisbane Track Classic – by 0.27sec. It was the third time she had broken a national record in as many days and the fifth time in a month. It led to her coach Luis Cunha, who described himself as “astounded” by the latest timing, to admit that he did not expect Pereira to be running this fast, this early in the season. He added that he would need to relook their plans. Part of that re-evaluation saw Pereira pulling out of Sunday’s final. Cunha said: “She has been competing at a high level and physically and mentally, it is very tiring for her, so we decided it’s better to not run (in the final). “I don’t know if there are any athletes of her level that were able to break so many records in just one month. “This is too much for one athlete. “Because of Covid-19 and the disruptions to the calendar last year, 2023 is going to be a very challenging and long season. “These records are not times we expected this early in the season. “It was not part of the plan to run so fast and so many times in the last month. “So we need to relook at how we can take the next step.” Cunha also referenced the leaps that Pereira has taken as he recounted how she was unable to qualify for the final of the same event in 2022. But his protege is now causing him to run out of superlatives. He used the word “unbelievable” a total of nine times when he spoke to ST on Sunday. “This is just unbelievable. It is a world-class performance and it is not just another day in the job,” said the 58-year-old Portuguese. “Today she did something incredible and to think she has broken all these records in a short space of time is just unbelievable.” Pereira has been surprised by her own feats in 2023 as well. On Sunday, after she became the first Singaporean woman to go under 23sec in the 200m, she covered her mouth with her hands to contain her surprise. Her latest timing would have seen her win the gold medal in the last five editions of the Asian Games. Pereira told ST: “I was super surprised. I was feeling the tiredness from running all the races the past few days and month. “I did not think that I had that in me today of all days. “When I crossed the line, I had to do a double take and when I realised it was 22.89, I was just in shock... “It’s crazy to be able to run under 23 seconds and it is something I have worked on for a long time.” Compatriot Elizabeth-Ann Tan, who ran in the same heat as Pereira, also had a day to remember. She clocked a new personal best of 24.23sec to become the second-fastest Singaporean woman over 200m. It has been a jubilant weekend for Pereira. On Saturday, she bettered her own national record in the women’s 100m final with 11.37sec to win the event. She had lowered her mark – set in the heats on Friday – by 0.01sec. She had also rewritten the national records at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in Wellington and at the Brisbane Track Classic in March. But her immediate goal will be to claim a double gold at the May 5-17 Cambodia SEA Games. After that, there will be tougher tests at the July 12-16 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok and the Hangzhou Asian Games from Sept 23 to Oct 8. At the Hanoi SEA Games in May 2022, Pereira won the 200m, capturing her second SEA Games title seven years after her first. She also clinched a silver in the 100m. She will return to Singapore on Tuesday and is looking forward to resting and spending time with her family and boyfriend. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Shanti Pereira wins 100m at Australian Open Track and Field Championships, lowers national record again Athletics: Shanti Pereira sprints to No. 1 in Asia in women’s 100m rankings
Singaporeans win mixed and men’s doubles titles at World Table Tennis Feeder Antalya Singapore's Clarence Chew (left) and Zeng Jian beat Romania's Darius Movileanu and Elena Zaharia 3-2 to win the WTT Feeder Antalya mixed doubles title. PHOTO: World Table Tennis David Lee Sports Correspondent UPDATED 6 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE – The Republic’s table tennis players tasted success on the senior World Table Tennis circuit when Clarence Chew and Zeng Jian emerged victorious in the WTT Feeder Antalya mixed doubles final, before Koen Pang and Izaac Quek followed suit in the men’s doubles final on Saturday. At the Gloria Sports Arena, world No. 49 Chew and Zeng came from behind to beat Romania’s 142nd-ranked Darius Movileanu and Elena Zaharia 3-2 (7-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-8). In the earlier rounds, they overcame Serbia’s Dimitrije Levajac and Izabela Lupulesku (30th) 3-1, Ukraine’s Anton Limonv and Solomiya Brateyko (115th) 3-2 and unranked Malaysians Danny Ng and Im Li Ying 3-0. The Singaporean duo were first paired in 2019, but started playing together regularly only from 2022. Both players also reached the quarter-finals of their respective singles events in Turkey. Chew, 27, said: “We were prepared for a tough match and we knew that there were going to be certain periods where we might be at a disadvantage tactically, but it was important we remained focused and calm even when we were behind to come up with solutions to win the match, which I’m happy we did.” Zeng, 26, added: “At the decisive moments, we felt nervous because the opponents were producing high-quality shots to put us under pressure. But we have grown to be resolute and more stable in situations like these. “I think we grew in terms of chemistry and have become more sure about our style of play. Whenever one of us is a bit off, the other player is able to rise up to hold the fort or turn things around. This was very crucial for us this week. There are still individual aspects to brush up on, but every win gives us more confidence in our game.” Hours later, world No. 74 Pang and Quek breezed past Belgian Adrien Rassenfosse and Algerian Mehdi Bouloussa, who are unranked, 3-0 (11-8, 11-2, 11-2). In the earlier rounds, they defeated unranked Iranians Soroosh Amiri Nia and Navid Shams 3-1, Belgium’s Florent Lambiet and Martin Allegro (28th) 3-1 and unranked Malaysians Javen Choong and Wong Qi Shen 3-1. The Singapore players will return home before they battle at the April 23-29 WTT Star Contender Bangkok, ahead of the May 5-17 SEA Games. National women’s coach Jing Junhong, who is with the players in Turkey, said: “These titles are a boost to our young team as the first triumphs on the WTT senior international circuit. “While the feeder tour is not high on the event structure, it is still very competitive. To be able to overcome difficulties and win is a key quality and we hope they can continue to raise their levels in future tournaments.”
Water Polo: Singapore eyeing on recapturing SEA Games glory, women’s team qualified for World Cup Division 2 Photo: Singapore Swimming Association April 2, 2023 By Khalis Rifhan For the men’s national team captain Lee Kai Yang, the focus now turns to the SEA Games in May as Singapore will be looking to recapture their lost glory. Singapore’s 52-year reign as the water polo king ended at the 2019 SEA Games as Indonesia clinched their first-ever gold medal, and the Republic had to settle for the bronze medal. SINGAPORE — The Singapore men’s national water polo team failed to book a ticket for the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup, Division 2 Qualifier to be held in Berlin in May, as they ended the 2023 Asian Water Polo Championships in fifth place, a spot behind Southeast Asian rivals Thailand. China and Kazakhstan took top honours in the men’s and women’s category respectively in the Asian Water Polo Championships that were held from Mar 22 to Mar 27 at the OCBC Aquatic Centre at the Singapore Sports Hub. In the men’ gold medal match, China defeated Iran 11-8, while Kazakhstan sealed an 18-7 win over Thailand in the bronze medal match. For the men’s national team captain Lee Kai Yang, the focus now turns to the SEA Games in May as Singapore will be looking to recapture their lost glory. Singapore’s 52-year reign as the water polo king ended at the 2019 SEA Games as Indonesia clinched their first-ever gold medal, and the Republic had to settle for the bronze medal. “I think it’s very clear for everyone here in the team, we’re going to the SEA Games gunning for gold. Between Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, now everyone knows that it’s an even game, no one is the outright favourite right now so we’re here as equal competitors. We’re going out there with full confidence that we can perform to our best quality and win the gold,” said Lee. Photo: Singapore Swimming Association Although the Singapore women’s national water polo team were the bottom of their group in the Asian Water Polo Championships, they will be making the trip to Germany as all four participating countries in the competition qualified for the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup, Division 2 Qualifier. In the women’s category, the four teams played each other twice in a round-robin format. In the final day of the competition, water polo powerhouse Kazakhstan dominated proceedings in the pools as they won 12-6 against Uzbekistan. Singapore ended the tournament with a loss as they went down 4-9 to Thailand. But there were still some cheers left for the host on the final day as the men’s team won their fifth-placing match against Uzbekistan 12-11, with Koh Jian Ying named as player of the match. This is Singapore’s second victory over the Central Asia country as the two had met in a Group A encounter, with the hosts winning 11-10. Singapore men’s team opened their campaign with a 1-23 defeat against the tournament’s favourites China. Their second game was a nail-biter as Thailand stunned the hosts 4-2 in a penalty-shootout victory after both teams were tied 14-14 at the final buzzer. Singapore looked favourites to notch their first win of the competition as they took a 14-12 lead into the final minute of the match. But the Thais scored two quick goals and blocked Singapore’s goal-bound shot in the last second to force a shootout. Substitute goalkeeper Chanoknan Kaewmanee was the star in the tie-breaker as he saved two of Singapore’s penalties to send the Thai bench and their supporters in the stands into ecstasy. It was sweet revenge for Thailand as they had lost to Singapore on home soil during the Asian Championships in November. It also sets up an intriguing battle ahead of May’s SEA Games. For Singapore coach Kan Aoyagi he saw positives in his players’ performance despite the defeat to Thailand in the penalty shoot-out. “Thailand played well, they have a good counter-attacking team and are very fit. We lost against them in the penalties but during the game, we didn’t fall behind and they didn’t score more than us. (Even) though we lost against Thailand in penalties, (it was) a good experience for us, for the SEA Games,” said coach Aoyagi. Singapore’s results at the 2023 Asian Water Polo Championships Men National Team (Group A) Singapore 1-23 China Singapore 14-14 Thailand (Penalty: 2-4) Singapore 11-10 Uzbekistan Quarter-Final | Singapore 7-10 Kazakhstan Placing Match | Singapore 18-6 Philippines Fifth-Sixth Placing Match |Singapore 12-11 Uzbekistan Women’s National Team (Group – Round Robin) Singapore 7-12 Kazakhstan Singapore 10-11 Uzbekistan Singapore 6-8 Thailand Singapore 2-13 Kazakhstan Singapore 8-7 Uzbekistan Singapore 4-9 Thailand Send in your scoops to news@theindependent.sg
Singapore find out SEA Games group-stage draw for men’s and women’s football SINGAPORE, 5 APRIL 2023 – The Singapore Men’s Under-22 and Women’s National Teams will both be facing Thailand at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia next month. At the draw ceremony earlier this afternoon, the Lionesses were drawn into Group B with Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Ranked 43rd in the world by FIFA, the Thais are five-time champions and have qualified for the past two FIFA World Cups. The Lionesses will start their SEA Games campaign against Thailand on 3rd May. Match Date Time (SGT) Venue Thailand vs Singapore Wednesday, 3 May 2023 4.30pm Smart RSN Stadium, Cambodia Singapore vs Cambodia Saturday, 6 May 2023 8.30pm Singapore vs Laos Tuesday, 9 May 2023 4.30pm Coach Karim Bencherifa is hopeful over his team’s performance this SEA Games: “We will be facing quality opponents and we know that we will need to work hard to improve in all aspects of our game. Judging from their performances in the Olympic qualifiers, my team is capable of being tough opposition when they work as one and carry out the game plan.” National defender Ernie Sulastri added: “We are working hard and trust the process of Coach Karim’s tactical approach for our matches, and we know we are capable of doing better. It is important for us to play with team spirit, and intensity while being technically and tactically switched on from kickoff to the first whistle.” The men’s U22s were also placed in Group B for their draw and will have to battle it out with Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos to make it to the semi-finals. The Thais are the record 16-time champions, with Malaysia having won the competition twice. Their first match will be against Thailand as well on 30th April. Match Date Time (SGT) Venue Thailand vs Singapore Sunday, 30 April 2023 5pm Prince Stadium, Cambodia Singapore vs Vietnam Wednesday, 3 May 2023 5pm Laos vs Singapore Saturday, 6 May 2023 8pm Singapore vs Malaysia Thursday, 11 May 2023 5pm Coach Philippe Aw believes his team has the resilience and determination to face tough opponents: “Of course it is a very strong group but I have belief that we won’t be push-overs and the boys will fight. The players now know what is expected of them at the international level and I know they will make it tough for our opponents. My coaches and I will be analysing our opponents in the meantime so that we will be prepared come end of April.” Midfielder Harhys Stewart reflected similar sentiments: “The onus is on us players to do Singapore proud, regardless of the group we are drawn in. We can all draw motivation from playing such opponents, and we will be determined to do our absolute best for Singapore.” The top two in each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be held on 12 May for the women’s and 13 May for the men’s. The finals will take place on 15 May for the women’s and 16 May for the men’s.
Meet the national archers who won Singapore’s first team medal at the Asia Cup (From left) National archers Contessa Loh, Nur Syahidah Alim and Madeleine Ong, claimed a team bronze at the recent Asia Cup in Taiwan. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Su Thet Hnin San UPDATED APR 7, 2023, 10:46 PM SGT SINGAPORE – Contessa Loh, Madeleine Ong and Nur Syahidah Alim have known each other since 2015, and have trained side by side at the Archery Association of Singapore’s (AAS) range for two years. But the trio never competed as a team until the Asia Cup from March 14-19 in Taiwan, where their close friendship proved to be a winning formula, allowing them to capture the bronze medal in the women’s compound team event. “It was great because this is the first team medal that we have won for Singapore,” Loh, who clinched a SEA Games gold in the individual compound event in Hanoi in 2022, said on Thursday at the AAS range in Bedok. “To win the first of any medal is always great, but to be able to win it with (Madeleine) and Syahidah was like an extra bonus because we’ve never competed as a team before.” They first found out they would be working together in November. Loh and Ong were chosen through a selection trial, while Syahidah, a former world champion and world No. 1 in para archery, was invited to join by the AAS. “It was quite surprising, because the conditions that day were very difficult (for shooting). It was very challenging,” said Ong of their Asia Cup outing. During the bronze-medal match, all three recalled how strong the wind was – it blew hard in their faces, making aiming difficult – and how they were shivering despite wearing multiple layers of clothes in the 12 deg C weather. “With all the extreme conditions, we were facing strong winds and the sudden drop in temperature, we’re just happy that we can make it through, physically and mentally. So it’s a big achievement for us,” said Syahidah. The trio may get another chance to compete together in the Asia Cup’s third leg at the Bukit Gombak Stadium from June 5-10. Selection trials are ongoing. “Being in the para circuit for very long, it is rare for me to be part of a team event. It’s a different feeling for me. So it’s a really good learning experience,” said Syahidah, who is preparing for the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and is also aiming to qualify for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. This was not her first time competing against able-bodied participants. She has taken part in a few, notably the Asia Cup in Taiwan in 2017 when she competed alongside Ong. Loh said the experience was fun and added: “It’s actually one of the rare chances that we actually managed to get Syah to shoot with us.” Ong agreed, saying: “It was comfortable. I didn’t feel as nervous because I had two friends to share my burden.” Their close friendship is apparent. After the final, Ong and Loh carried Syahidah, much to her shock, to celebrate their bronze medal. According to Ong, this was a “tradition” that started at the SEA games in 2022, when the two of them lifted their teammate Keller Chai. National team archer Madeleine Ong at the range of Archery Association of Singapore on March 30. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI “We wanted to carry it forward to this Asia Cup. So we picked up (Syahidah),” said Loh with a laugh. “Madeleine and I just looked at each other and did it immediately, no one knew it was going to happen. “It was a good surprise. So hopefully we get to repeat the lift many times, right?” Always a good sport, Syahidah replied: “I didn’t even know this tradition existed. I promise to lose some weight.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC SEA Games: Archer Contessa Loh breaks Singapore's 9-year gold drought Asean Para Games: Archer Nur Syahidah Alim retains women's individual compound open
Three-day Paddock Club tickets at F1 Singapore GP snapped up despite price crossing five figures Three-day Paddock Club tickets at F1 Singapore GP snapped up despite price crossing five figures | The Star SINGAPORE Tuesday, 18 Apr 2023 12:48 PM MYT Three-day Paddock Club tickets are going at S$11,016 this year, an over 10 per cent increase from $9,898 in 2022. - ST FILE SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): The price of the most exclusive tickets for the 2023 Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix has crossed into the five-figure range for the first time since 2008. Three-day Paddock Club tickets are going at S$11,016 this year, an increase of over 10 per cent from $9,898 in 2022, and $9,500 in 2019. There were no races in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the high prices, organisers Singapore GP said these three-day tickets have all been snapped up, with only limited single-day tickets remaining for Friday (April 21) and Saturday. A variety of ticket categories - including single-day or three-day passes for premium hospitality suites, grandstand seats around the circuit, as well as walkabout tickets - are still on sale across a wide range of prices. “Sales for the Formula 1 Paddock Club tickets have been the strongest we have ever seen, with three-day passes and Sunday tickets sold out within a few weeks of release,” said a Singapore GP spokesman, in response to queries from The Straits Times. There is currently a waitlist for both three-day and Sunday Paddock Club tickets for the Sept 15-17 race weekend. As for the price increase, the spokesman said the organisers regularly reviews and updates its products to “continuously improve our service standards and hospitality experiences” to make sure the Singapore GP remains a “must-attend” event on the F1 calendar. The spokesman added this year’s Paddock Club “has a brand new bespoke three-storey atrium structure”, with new facilities, including award-winning restaurants and bars, as well as more viewing opportunities. The fully air-conditioned hospitality suite typically attracts a high-end clientele and perks such as exclusive access to a daily pit lane walk between the garages and the teams’ motorhomes. F1 drivers and team members frequently traverse this walkway, as do celebrity guests. Singapore GP said the other hospitality suites within the Marina Bay Circuit have also been fully booked - namely the Sky Suites along the Pit Straight, Green Room as well as Lounge @ Turn 3. Limited tickets remain for Sky Suites and Twenty3. The spokesman said: “Once a hospitality location has sold out, no additional inventory will be added in that category. However, Singapore GP has been working together with stakeholders and the local authorities to identify new sites for additional exciting hospitality options due to the strong demand.” Besides the hospitality suites, several other categories of tickets – including the three-day options for Pit, Pit Exit, Turn 1 and Turn 2, Stamford, Padang and Connaught grandstands plus Zone 4 walkabouts – have sold out. Singapore GP said they will continue to explore all possibilities to meet the strong demand for tickets and anticipate releasing more tickets soon. Some other ticket categories have also seen price changes. New seating areas have also been added for the 2023 race. The Singapore GP organisers have reduced the prices of five ticket categories by up to 20 per cent, while keeping to the 2022 prices for 17 other categories for this year’s race. They added: “Limited Friday Zone 4 Walkabout tickets will be available for sale at a special price, exclusively for local residents at select community events in the lead up to the night race.” Zone 4 is the area of the race track that includes the Padang. Spectators at this year’s race will also be able to catch the race action from two new grandstands, announced by the organisers on Monday. Sheares Grandstand will be positioned at the first turn of the street circuit under the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, while the Promenade Grandstand will be at the end of the circuit and opposite the Singapore Flyer, between Turns 17 and 18. Prices start from $1,188, and ticketholders will have access to all zones in the Circuit Park. The new seating areas are meant to “mitigate the overall reduction in capacity” due to the upcoming closure of the Bay Grandstand at the Marina Bay floating platform, which will make way for the new NS Square. As a result, the circuit length will be reduced from 5.063km to 4.928km and the number of racing laps increased from 61 to 63. The record-breaking 2022 edition of the race attracted 302,000 fans, surpassing the first night race in 2008, when 300,000 spectators attended. The first wave of entertainment acts for the 2023 race was announced on Tuesday. It includes British popstar Robbie Williams, American rapper Post Malone, as well as Jackson Wang and Rich Brian. More performers will be announced in the lead-up to this year’s F1 Singapore Grand Prix race weekend.
30 years after SEA Games heartbreak, Lim Tong Hai returns as Team Singapore official Lim Tong Hai competed in five SEA Games, clinching one silver and three bronzes with the men's football team. (Photo: SNOC/Kong Chong Yew) Matthew Mohan @MatthewMohanCNA 22 Apr 2023 06:01AM(Updated: 22 Apr 2023 06:01AM) SINGAPORE: Memories of SEA Games past linger in Lim Tong Hai's mind until today. At the rain-soaked Merdeka stadium in 1989, the 20-year-old watched from the opposing bench as his uncle Lim Teong Kim inspired Malaysia to a 2-1 victory over Singapore. This was the last time the Singapore men's team made the finals of the football tournament at the regional event. In chilly, hilly Chiang Mai six years later, Lim experienced communal living in a spartan Games village for the first time. There was Jakarta in 1997, where Lim played through the pain of injury and took to the field in front of intimidating crowds. And then there was 1993, a tournament where he missed out on gold but said he gained something valuable – resilience. For Lim, now 54 years old, the memories from the 1993 Games are clearest, the experience etched deepest. In a semi-final against Myanmar on home ground, Lim scored two own goals, and the Lions would draw the game 3-3 before being edged out on penalties. Lim was shattered. His family rallied behind him after the match, and his wife stayed with him into the wee hours of the morning at a bus stop near the stadium. "The support from my loved ones was so key. And for that I'm very, very grateful," recalled Lim, who is now team lead of Sport Singapore's Programme Excellence Academies & Club. After the Games, some fans hurled abuse at Lim from the stands at Malaysia league matches.His mother, who was at the match, witnessed it all. "I hope no one will have to go through this kind of experience, but that's life. If you are given lemons, you make lemonade." Related: Singapore grouped with Malaysia and defending champions Vietnam in SEA Games football tournament Singapore swimmer Teong Tzen Wei speaks out about drug controversy, looks ahead to SEA Games A year later, Lim clinched a Malaysia Cup and league double with Singapore. "It was a painful experience. But it was something that taught me resilience and it helped to shape and mould how I do things, my life. "Sometimes it's not a matter of how many times you fall but ... how many times you pick yourself up after you fall. My back was against the wall ... I just needed to keep on fighting." Despite what happened in 1993, Lim had no hesitation in getting involved in SEA Games again three decades later – by taking up an official role at the upcoming Games in Cambodia. Lim, along with former national bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan, will be assistant chefs de mission at the event. Dr Hing Siong Chen, a member of the Singapore National Olympic Council’s executive committee and president of the Singapore Cycling Federation, will lead Team Singapore as chef de mission. Lim Tong Hai will be one of Team Singapore's two assistant chefs de mission at the 32nd SEA Games. (Photo: SNOC/Kong Chong Yew) Lim said it was a "big honour" to be given the opportunity "I'm a sports person, sports runs in my blood. I’ve been involved in sports as a player, as a coach, as a manager. Now eventually I have the opportunity to come on board as an official in the SEA Games." One of the things Lim enjoyed as an athlete was the opportunity to mingle with athletes from different sports and of different nationalities. He recalled how at the 1989 Games, the football team attended different events to support fellow Singaporeans. “You get to mingle with not only athletes from your own country, but you also get to mingle with your counterparts. “That’s the beauty of sports. You're not just going out there to compete, but to make friends and have this cultural exchange. And that's where friendships are built.” Lim is looking forward to similar interactions at the upcoming Games but what will be different this time will be the role he plays. "For us as officials, we are going there to provide them a conducive training environment, so that they can perform at their very best." And Lim hopes to support the contingent in whatever way he can. “No one is an island. You need support, and what is important is that when we are there, we render whatever support for athletes to perform at their optimum,” he said. “Of course there are bound to be setbacks. It’s about how you bounce back from then on.” A total of 558 athletes will represent Singapore at the upcoming Games, with more than half of them being debutants. In the men's football tournament, Singapore will face Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in what has been billed the group of death. It has been a decade since the team has progressed out of the group stages. While the odds may seem stacked against coach Philippe Aw's men, Lim's message to them is simple. Keep fighting. "I believe Philippe will have a game plan for every game, different opponents have different strengths. Let’s go in and put in our very best ... We always say – put in your 110 per cent," he said. "Whatever the result is, you have to come out fighting with your heads held high … It should be: ‘I have done what I could’.” That is the approach Lim has had going into each of his five Games. Going into his sixth, he is older, wiser, stronger and ready to pass it on. Source: CNA/mt(cy)
Kayaking brothers Titus and Evan Ching help Team Singapore win big at New Zealand meet (From left) Titus Ching, Evan Ching, Wang Yi Hua and Luke Diez Thang, the gold medallists in the U-16 men’s K4 500m event at the Asia Pacific Sprint Cup in New Zealand. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CANOE FEDERATION Su Thet Hnin San UPDATED APR 27, 2023, 2:18 AM SGT SINGAPORE - Kayaking brothers Titus and Evan Ching spend all their waking hours training and competing together, and the close bond and chemistry proved to be a winning combination at the April 21-24 Asia Pacific Sprint Cup in New Zealand as they claimed the bulk of the medals in the squad. The duo were part of Singapore’s 30-strong national junior team who clinched eight gold, three silver and six bronze medals for the nation’s best finish in the event since 2018. Titus, 16, was the best performer, winning six Under-16 golds, including one individual title in the K1 200m, and one silver in the K1 500m, while his younger brother Evan, 14, won four team golds. “I wanted to do it to the best of my ability to podium for Singapore but I didn’t expect to medal in every event I took part in,” said Titus, who was competing overseas with his younger brother for the first time. Evan added: “I didn’t expect anything much, I was racing people who were two years older than me.” “Competing as brothers is just a whole new experience, it’s a whole other thing from competing with teammates. This time, all my events were with (Titus) and it really feels different.” Titus added: “The trust we have can’t be matched with others, we both know we are giving it our all and can fully trust each other. We have each other’s backs.” Titus and Evan, who are both students at Anglo Chinese School (Independent), started their kayaking journey when they were nine and seven respectively. A meet-and-greet session with the 2015 SEA Games women’s canoeing team inspired the brothers to try out the sport. Titus joined the national junior team when he was in Secondary 2, while Evan joined in 2022. “Sometimes in the water we argue a bit, but what happens in the water stays in the water. Outside of it, we are still brothers,” said Titus. Evan added: “We’re really close, we make memories together and do everything together.” After a record run, Singapore team manager Lim Han Yong believes that the juniors have the potential to graduate to the national team. “The jump in standards from 2018 and 2019 to now is really great, this is a remarkable feat from the athletes and coaches,” he said. “I’m not trying to put pressure on the two of them or the other youth athletes but I think they can definitely make the national team. Titus can make the SEA Games 2025 team.” The junior team at the New Zealand event also included 2021 SEA Games canoeists Kendrick Ang and Pan Congchang, who won a bronze in the K4 500m event. Lim added: “We are building up our youth team to be the core of the SEA Games team in 2029. We are also looking at podium finishes in future Asian Games and to perhaps qualify for the Olympics.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC ACS (I) deny Hwa Chong another clean sweep of boys’ canoeing titles S’pore Sailing to move out of its home at East Coast Park after over 20 years
