There are tons I can improve on, says Shanti Pereira after historic sprint double at Asian meet Shanti Pereira posing with her Asian Athletics Championships gold medals at Changi Airport on July 17, 2023. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Kimberly Kwek UPDATED JUL 18, 2023, 5:58 AM SGT SINGAPORE – She had just completed an unprecedented sprint double at the Asian Athletics Championships, but Singapore’s sprint queen Shanti Pereira believes there is still more to come from her. At Bangkok’s Suphachalasai National Stadium, she became Singapore’s first gold medallist at the continental meet after securing the 100m title in a national record 11.20 seconds last Friday, before adding the 200m crown in a championship record 22.70sec on Sunday. “Definitely, there are tons I can improve on,” said Pereira, who was speaking to reporters at Changi Airport after arriving in Singapore on Monday. “Technically speaking, the technical parts of the race, a lot of parts I can work on, maintaining my form under fatigue, that’s something I can work on moving into more championships and competitions.” The 26-year-old, who had also made history in May by clinching the 100m and 200m titles at the Cambodia SEA Games, won both races in Thailand convincingly. In the century sprint, she was 0.19sec faster than Iran’s silver medallist Farzaneh Fasihi. In the 200m, Pereira finished 0.43sec ahead of runner-up Jyothi Yarraji of India. While her times this season had put her in contention for a medal at the competition, Pereira was surprised by how well she performed. She said: “I was surprised by the gap. I don’t really expect this kind of gap at an Asian-level competition, so that’s another major thing that came out of it and I’m extremely happy about that.” Pereira has received an outpouring of support following her feats. On the team’s flight back on Monday, the Scoot flight captain made an announcement and wrote a short note welcoming the Singapore contingent home and congratulating Pereira on her gold medals. Her phone has also been flooded with messages of encouragement. She said: “My phone has been blowing up. I’m getting a lot of congratulatory messages from tons of people. It’s really nice. “It’s always nice to have encouragement from different kinds of people and, at the end of the day, this is just what happens. “You do a good performance, people congratulate you. It’s just part of the process and you just have to learn how to take that in, embrace it and focus on what lies ahead.” Shanti Pereira posing with passer-by Vincent Heng after arriving at Changi Airport on Monday, following her historic sprint double at the Asian Athletics Championships. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY There were a few people who approached Pereira for photos at the airport. One was Lee Shao Wen, who happened to be there and wanted a picture to show his two daughters, who are aged eight and 12. The 43-year-old, who is self-employed, said: “They did notice the coverage... Her winning gold is a great thing for us and I want my girls to look up to her.” Pereira’s coach Luis Cunha believes that she has made significant process from the start of the season, saying: “It’s been a very challenging year. This is not normal in athletics, having so many peaks. For the first two (competitions), they went perfect, she won both and now she’s on a different level from before.” Shanti Pereira with her coach Luis Cunha at Changi Airport on Monday after returning from the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Pereira will spend a week in Singapore before flying off to train and compete in Berlin and Copenhagen ahead of the Aug 19-27 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The next major competition after the world meet is the Sept 23-Oct 8 Hangzhou Asian Games. On training overseas, Cunha said: “She has a good team to support her here, but it’s different when you go to Europe where she has the opportunity to compete with some of the best athletes in the world. This kind of thing you have to be there, you cannot simulate in training. “So we’re going to try to do the things that we planned and hope that she can continue to be healthy and perform at this level.”
Nicholas Mahabir is first Singaporean to go under 60 seconds for 100m breaststroke Nicholas Mahabir's new personal best in the 100m breaststroke is just 0.47sec shy of the Olympic qualifying time of 59.49sec. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Melvyn Teoh UPDATED JUL 30, 2023, 8:46 AM SGT SINGAPORE – Nicholas Mahabir set a national record in the 100m breaststroke on Friday, becoming the first Singaporean to swim the event in under a minute – and moved closer to his goal of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He clocked 59.96 seconds in the final to finish between winner Jake Foster (59.64sec) of the Mason Manta Rays and Nova of Virginia’s Charlie Swanson (1min 00.09sec) at the TYR US Pro Championships in Irvine, California. His time was just 0.47sec shy of the Olympic qualifying time of 59.49sec. Only compatriot Jonathan Tan (50m freestyle) has earned a spot at the Summer Games in the French capital. Mahabir, 17, attributed the result to his coach Peter Linn and his family. He said: “I’ve received unwavering support that helped me break a minute in the 100m breaststroke. “Having one of the best coaches in the world working with me is a huge privilege.” The teenager had a creditable debut outing at the Phnom Penh SEA Games in May. He claimed three silver medals in the 50m (his 27.91sec was a national record), 100m and 200m breaststroke events. He also won two golds in the 4x100m medley for the men’s and mixed team. He had nearly gone below the 60sec mark after clocking 1:00.07 in the heats on Friday. He has swum the eight fastest times in the event for a Singaporean. Mahabir’s mark would have put him in the semi-finals of the ongoing World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. His fellow Singaporean Maximillian Ang had competed at the world meet and finished 40th in the 100m breaststroke last Sunday in 1:02.45. On Saturday, Letitia Sim swam 31.33sec in the women’s 50m breaststroke heats to finish 24th. She did not advance to the semi-finals. Quah Ting Wen was 28th in the 50m free heats after clocking 25.52sec, while her brother Zheng Wen finished 32nd in the 50m backstroke in 25.76sec. The mixed 4x100 free relay team of Ting Wen, her sister Jing Wen, Tan and Mikkel Lee did not advance to the final after placing 20th in the heats in 3:30.89. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Swimmer Gan Ching Hwee smashes women’s 1,500m freestyle record Olympics the goal as Letitia Sim lowers four Singapore swim records in three days
Singapore Tchoukball to spearhead regional development effort, top-four target at World Championships Photo credit: Tchoukball Association of Singapore July 30, 2023 By Khalis Rifhan "What we are doing is really to make Singapore a professional development hub for Tchoukball, where we are going to provide resources and training for coaches from the rest of the region so that they are adequately equipped to train and to develop the game,” said Delane Lim, TBAS president. SINGAPORE — Following their recent success at the World Youth Tchoukball Championships and the Southeast Asia Tchoukball Championships, the Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) aims to provide the necessary mentorship and foster a more competitive environment for other countries in the region. The objective is primarily to level the playing field in the region, thus creating opportunities for countries in Southeast Asia to compete against each other on an equal footing before they are able to compete at a much higher level. TBAS will focus on a three-pronged approach, which is to level up the playing field, promote grassroots development and enhance professional development. Jeff Ang, who has been the Singapore head coach since 2006, will transition to the role of regional technical director in September. In his new position, he will be responsible for overseeing high-performance coaching and coach upskilling in the region. “What we are doing is really to make Singapore a professional development hub for Tchoukball, where we are going to provide resources and training for coaches from the rest of the region so that they are adequately equipped to train and to develop the game,” said Delane Lim, TBAS president. “More importantly, we hope that by doing this, SEA nations can commit and put Tchoukball into their sports calendar. Hopefully by 2029 when Singapore hosts the 31st edition of the SEA Games, tchoukball will be included.” added Lim who is also the president of the Southeast Asia Tchoukball Federation and vice president of Asia Pacific Tchoukball Federation. Photo credit: Tchoukball Association of Singapore In order to level up the playing field, TBAS will ensure that all participating countries are provided with the required resources and equipment at the grassroots level. This initiative aims to nurture talent pipelines and establish a strong foundation for the sport’s growth. Additionally, TBAS encourages participating countries to promote tchoukball at a community level as it is important to instill a passion for the sport and develop fundamental skills especially those at a young age. Lastly, to enhance the professional development of tchoukball in Southeast Asia, TBAS will assist in further elevating the standard of the sport in the region. They will focus on upgrading the skills and expertise of the coaches and technical officials, and offer certification programs and opportunities for professional development, empowering potential coaches and referees to become highly proficient in their respective roles. This will contribute to the overall growth and development of tchoukball in Southeast Asia, ensuring that the sport continues to thrive and gain recognition on both national and international levels. Tchoukball has been making headlines in Singapore since the national women’s team topped the world ranking earlier this year. Since then, TBAS has continuously received recognition and support from various stakeholders and was made a National Sports Association in March. The Singapore national men’s and women’s team will be participating in the upcoming World Tchoukball Championships from Aug 2 to Aug 5 in Prague, Czech Republic. The men’s team are in Group D with Bangladesh, Benin and the United Kingdom, while the women’s team are in Group B with Argentina, Cameroon and France. TBAS has set a top-four finish for both the men’s and women’s teams at the World Tchoukball Championships. Singapore’s best performance was a second-placed finish by both teams in 2015. The men’s team are drawn in Group D along with Bangladesh, Benin, and the United Kingdom. The women’s team are in Group B with Argentina, Cameroon, and France. TBAS has set a top-four finish at the World Tchoukball Championships for both teams. Singapore’s best performance in the past was a second-place finish by both teams in 2015. Send in your scoops to news@theindependent.sg Tags: Tchoukball Association of Singapore, World Youth Tchoukball Championships, Southeast Asia Tchoukball Championships, tchoukball, World Tchoukball Championships Related Posts Singapore celebrates historic gold medal win at World Youth Tchoukball Championships Local firms rally in support of Tchoukball Singapore’s bid for success Tchoukball Association of Singapore recognised as a National Sports Association Gan Siow Huang lends support to Team Singapore ahead of World Youth Tchoukball Championship Former national athletes launch ‘Tchoukball 100 Days Fundraising Challenge’ Tchoukball - Wikipedia
Shanti Pereira headlines the Singapore Athletics contingent for Asian Games ADVERTISEMENT Photo credit: Singapore Athletics July 31, 2023 By Khalis Rifhan The darling of Singapore's track and field achieved a new national record in the 100m with a time of 11.20s and a new championship record in the 200m, finishing with a remarkable timing of 22.70s SINGAPORE — Singapore’s sprint queen, Shanti Pereira, has been selected by Singapore Athletics (SA) as part of the 24-strong track and field contingent for the upcoming 19th Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China, in September. The selection marks a significant increase in numbers compared to the previous Asian Games in 2018, where Singapore only sent eight athletes to Indonesia. “We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the coaches, sports administrators and family who have played a crucial role in our athletes’ success. At the Asian Games 2023, our athletes will do their best to make Singapore proud and inspire the next generation! Let’s support and cheer them on as one,” expressed SA’s president Lien Choong Luen. Pereira has been making waves on the track this year, securing gold medals in 100m and 200m races at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia and the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok. At the SEA Games in May, Pereira clocked a timing of 11.41s in the 100m event and set a new game and national record in the 200m race with 22.69s. There was no stopping Pereira as she set two new records at the Asian Championships in July. The darling of Singapore’s track and field achieved a new national record in the 100m with a time of 11.20s and a new championship record in the 200m, finishing with a remarkable timing of 22.70s. Other athletes who will be eager to make their mark at the Asian Games are Ang Chen Xiang, a SEA Games medalist who won gold in the 110m hurdles (13.831 seconds), and Marc Brian Louis, who secured a silver medal in the 100m sprint event with a time of 10.39 seconds. Ang competed at the Asian Championships in Bangkok, but his timing of 13.99 in the heats was insufficient to qualify for the finals. Ang was awarded a joint-gold medal with Thailand’s Natthaphon Dansungnoen at the SEA Games after the jury failed to determine a conclusive photo-finish winner. Arthur Lin, SA’s vice president for training and selection, expressed his admiration for the athletes’ steadfast commitment, resolve to excel at the highest levels and bring prestige to the country. He also encouraged everyone to unite and support Team Singapore athletes as they compete against top-notch competitors from all over Asia. “Our remarkable athletes serve as a constant source of inspiration, showcasing their unwavering dedication, passion, and determination to compete at the highest echelons and bring honor to our nation,” said Lin. “As they continue their rigorous preparations for the Asian Games, we extend our heartfelt wishes for their continued pursuit of excellence. We wholeheartedly acknowledge that the unwavering support of their families and loved ones is paramount to their triumphs. Let us unite in showing our resolute support for our exceptional athletes as they proudly represent our nation and face the formidable challenge of competing against the finest talents from across Asia,” added SA’s vice president Lin. Below is the list of 24 athletes selected by Singapore Athletics to compete at the 19th Asian Games in 2023. Women’s Category Shanti Pereira – 100m, 200m Elizabeth Tan Shee Ru – 100m, 200m Goh Chui Ling – 800m, 1500m Michelle Sng Suat Li – High Jump Isabel Yang Bingjie – Pole Vault *4 x 100m Relay – Shanti Pereira, Elizabeth Tan, Roxanne Rose, Clara Goh, Bernice Liew, Kerstin Ong Men’s Category Marc Brian Louis – 100m Mark Lee Ren – 100m, 200m Reuben Lee Siong En – 200m Ang Cheng Xiang – 110m Hurdles Calvin Quek Jun Jie – 400m Hurdles Thiruben s/o Thana Rajan – 400m Kampton Kam – High Jump *4 x 100 Relay – Marc Brian, Mark Lee, Xander Ho, Ian Koe, Joshua Chua Hanwei, Calvin Quek *4 x 400m Relay – Thiruben, Calvin Quek, Reuben Lee, Ng Chin Hui, Zubin Percy Muncherzi *For the relay event, Singapore Athletics will select four athletes and up to two reserves Send in your scoops to news@theindependent.sg Tags: Asian Games, Hurdles, SEA Games, Asian Athletics Championships, Shanti Pereira Related Posts Former SM Tharman and Minister Tong congratulate Shanti Pereira on double gold medal win at Asian Championships Shanti Pereira breaks SEA Games 200m record, Soh Rui Yong misses out on medal in 1,500m event Soh Rui Yong reminisces first SEA Games gold medal win, captured by Tan Chuan-Jin SEA Games medallist Soh Rui Yong unsuccessful in appeal to compete in Asian Games Record breaking feat by Singapore athletes Shanti Pereira and Ang Chen Xiang
Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira beats European sprint champion to win 200m gold at Berlin meet Shanti Pereira claimed gold in the 200m at the Mittsommernacht Athletics meet in Berlin on July 30. PHOTO: ASIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS Melvyn Teoh UPDATED 11 HOURS AGO SINGAPORE – Sprint queen Shanti Pereira dusted off the confetti from her conquering of Asia and now has her eyes set on Europe. She clocked 23.32 seconds to claim gold in the 200m at the Mittsommernacht Athletics meet, beating German Gina Luckenkemper, current European 100m and 4x100m relay champion, by 0.09sec in Berlin on Sunday. Singapore Athletics president Lien Choong Luen was delighted with Pereira’s form and said: “Very happy for her, to be able to go from strength to strength. It has been a pretty long, interesting season definitely, not an easy one. “The next big challenge ahead is clearly the Asian Games, quietly confident on her behalf of her performance.” Pereira had claimed gold in the 100m and 200m at July’s Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, ending the Republic’s 16-year medal drought in the competition. Lien also feels that Pereira is “inspiring a new generation” of South-east Asian athletes with her recent results. He said: “Shanti and coach Luis Cunha’s string of stellar performances lend weight to this and also help us stand on a par with our neighbours. “Everyone is constantly improving, and so must we. “So at this Asian Games – we have no demands or expectations because I know she and her coach are their own best motivators.” Pereira will head to Malmo, Sweden for the Folksam Grand Prix on Aug 5 and Copenhagen on Aug 9 before competing in the World Athletics Championships on Aug 19 in Budapest. She will then travel to Hangzhou, China for the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asian Games. She owns the fastest times in both the 100m (11.20sec) and 200m (22.69sec) for an Asian female sprinter this season. MORE ON THIS TOPIC There are tons I can improve on, says Shanti Pereira after historic sprint double at Asian meet Sprinter Shanti Pereira’s performances will inspire next generation, say former athletes
Knockout-style race up and down hilly road in Upper Bukit Timah draws ultramarathoners, ‘non-runners’ alike Justin Ong/TODAY Winner Toh Wen Sheng grimacing as he sprints to the finish line on his final lap of "The Xterminator" race on July 29, 2023. Eighteen runners competed in a unique race format where they run up and down a hill along Lorong Sesuai in Upper Bukit Timah The slowest runner for each 700m loop was eliminated “The Xterminator” race is the brainchild of Mr Ben Swee, founder of running event organiser Running Guild, which organises ultramarathons here Unlike an ultramarathon, the latest race lasted just two hours and featured a three-minute rest between laps Mechanical engineer Toh Wen Sheng, 27, won the race, fending off fierce competition from ultramarathon veterans BY JUSTIN ONG @JustinOngTODAY Published July 31, 2023 Updated August 1, 2023 SINGAPORE — Eliminating 17 competitors, Mr Toh Wen Sheng completed a two-hour race by climbing almost 700m, or about 2.5 times the height of UOB Plaza in Raffles Place. One might have thought that the 27-year-old had trekked up a mountain range overseas, but he was competing in a highly unusual race last Saturday (July 29), near some condominiums in the Upper Bukit Timah and Hillview area. In this “never before seen” race format called “The Xterminator”, competitors would line up at the top of Lorong Sesuai and run 350m down from near the Syonan Chureito memorial to the end of the junction with Old Jurong Road. They would then turn back to run uphill again, ascending an elevation of 40m at an average gradient of about 11 degrees. The last runner to run across the finish line at the top of this arduous 700m loop that runs alongside Bukit Batok Nature Park will be eliminated, or “exterminated”, as race organisers called it. READ ALSO Commentary: Running can help cope with stress at work — just don't let it consume you The remaining runners will then have three minutes of rest from the time the second last runner comes in, before the next round begins. This will go on, with one runner being “exterminated” each loop, until the last runner remains, and he will be crowned the winne This is the second time the race is being held, with the inaugural event taking place last year. It is the brainchild of Mr Ben Swee, founder of running event organiser Running Guild, which primarily organises ultramarathons here. Mr Swee, who is an ultramarathonerhimself, said that what inspired him to make Lorong Sesuai the location of the brutal challenge was because he had run up and down the road before. “I ran more than 100 laps here over 24 hours,” he said, as if describing a normal weekend run. READ ALSO Navy medical officer takes on world's longest marathon swim challenge to raise funds for St Luke’s Hospital “After that, it dawned on me an idea to do something crazy and fun and challenging, where the last runner (up this hill) will be exterminated. “I thought it would be something different (from) just running around a specific route," he added. The sign-ups for the race started in March through Running Guild’s Facebook page, and 20 participants were accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. There was no sign-up fee and there were no prizes in this event that Mr Swee said was like a gathering of friends. Running Guild (SG)/Facebook Competitors lining up on Lorong Sesuai before the start of the race. EVENT ALSO FOR NON-RUNNERS The run started at about 3pm on Saturday when temperatures hit 32°C. A group of runners and their supporters gathered and were briefed by Mr Swee before the race began. The 18 competitors — several had dropped out at the last minute — were a mix of men and women, seasoned ultramarathoners and people who consider themselves as “non-runners”. READ ALSO 2 S'poreans run over 300km each, smashing national record in global knockout-style ultramarathon Their ages ranged from 20s to 40s. The race started off slowly, with runners striding 350m downhill and then making their laborious trek uphill after that. When there was one person who was far behind, the runners in front began to walk to conserve energy. During the short three-minute breaks, runners sat on the ground or on chairs while being fanned by their supporters. Mr Loi Chii Lek, 28, who considers himself a “non-runner”, surprised himself by making it to the fifth round before being eliminated. The software engineer, who was introduced to the event by his wife, who also took part, said that he had expected to last only about three rounds at most. “I was thinking that I’m definitely not one of the fitter guys here, but perhaps if I could 'bomb' the downslope, I could make up some time for the upslope, but towards the last few rounds, I felt like the downslopes were killing me as well,” Mr Loi said. “I thought as a non-runner, I could stand a chance of knocking out one or two of the faster people, but this was clearly not the case.” Justin Ong/TODAY Mr Loi Chii Lek (left), who considers himself a “non-runner”, walking uphill during one of the five grueling laps that he managed to complete.
Among the people who outlasted Mr Loi was his wife, 25-year-old Toh Wen Qi, who is also the sister of Mr Toh, the eventual winner. Ms Toh, who made it to the 10th lap, said that even though women have a physiological disadvantage compared to men, she still had fun at the event. “There are no prizes, so it’s just fun to me,” the software developer added. She was pleasantly surprised that she beat some of the men, who she felt were stronger than her. “Being a bit heavy puts (some of the men) at a disadvantage, maybe it’s advantageous for me because I’m a bit smaller, even though I’m not as strong.” Mr Loi added that the event was inclusive as well. Unlike an ultramarathon, which can span many hours or days, this event was uncharacteristically short, lasting just two hours. “I think it’s really fun. The pain you feel is over a shorter period of time, compared to long-distance runs, which are long and painful,” he said. “There’s a lot more of a ‘fun’ element to it.” Justin Ong/TODAY Competitor Guyonvarch Ludovic's supporters fanning him as he was resting during a short break between laps. A SPRINT TO THE FINISH As the race wore on, the speed of each loop began to increase as the number of runners whittled down. During the first few loops earlier, many of the competitors walked upslope. Towards the end, the remaining few were running most of the way. Soon, it was 35-year-old Niro Ariyaratne’s turn to call it a day, as he was eliminated on the 11th loop. The 3D-printing engineer, who was introduced to ultra-running during the Covid-19 pandemic through some of Mr Swee’s events, said that even he was not ready for how quickly the pace increased as more people were eliminated. “The fourth lap onwards was when people really began pushing themselves up the hill, and that’s where the intensity started increasing,” he added. “It’s also a play on the mind, when you see the entire field in front of you while you’re lagging behind.” Before long, it was down to the last two runners — Mr Toh, a mechanical engineer, and fellow ultramarathoner Chris Timms, a deputy head teacher at an international school here. As the pair were flagged off, Mr Toh sprinted down the hill and held a commanding lead, and Mr Timms could only watch as victory slipped away from him. As Mr Timms made the turn and began running uphill, Mr Toh already had a strong lead. He powered up the hill, not once looking back, crossing the finish line with a blazing final lap of 2 minutes and 24 seconds, before lying on the floor in exhaustion. Mr Timms, 42, who is well-known among ultramarathoners in this region, jogged in with his children running by his side to claim second position. The pair had run a vertical distance of 680m. Justin Ong/TODAY Ultramarathoner Chris Timms finishing in second place with his children running alongside him. Mr Timms, a British expatriate who has taken part in many ultramarathons in Asia, said that watching Mr Toh sprint away downhill mentally “broke” him. “I was going to go all out, but his all-out was quicker than my all-out,” he conceded. “It was clear from the first 10 seconds of the last loop that he had a lot more left in the tank… In my head, I saw that he was going to win this.” Mr Timms added that he had never come across an event like this before despite being part of the ultra-running scene for the past seven years. “I sign up for many events and this is the first where I’ve been, like, wow, this is really unique.” Speaking to TODAY after the race, Mr Toh, who had won the event when it was first held last year, said that despite being a seasoned ultramarathon runner, the challenge of running up and down the hill was no less challenging than a 100km race, for example. “Every distance is difficult in its own way, and for this race, the intensity is really high. "As someone looking from the outside, the breaks might be a good thing, but when you are taking a break, your competitors are also taking a break, so the next lap starts very fast.” Mr Toh said that he has nothing but respect for the runner-up because he knows that Mr Timms has achieved faster timings and race results than him in other events. “I thought he would have blown past me on the last lap, but turns out, I managed to hold him on the downhill and I think he kind of gave up,” Mr Toh added. “But maybe if he was in a better state of mind, he could have gotten closer or beaten me.” Mr Toh attributed his familiarity with the slopes of Lorong Sesuai as an edge that he had over the rest of the competition. “I live pretty nearby and I train here quite often, so I’m quite familiar with the slope... I just keep coming back, because I really like this place.”
Shanti Pereira Siblings: Meet Valerie, Shobi And Anand BY CHARLES KOFI AMOAKU AUGUST 1, 2023 4 MINS READ Shanti Pereira siblings-Singaporean track and field athlete, Veronica Shanti Pereira was born on September 20, 1996. Pereira was born in Singapore to Bridget Jeet Pereira and Clarence Pereira. She shares the same parents with her sisters, Valerie, Shobi and elder brother Anand. ADVERTISEMENT Pereira pursued a diploma in sports and leisure management that was jointly given by Singapore Sports School and Republic Polytechnic. She received the Yip Pin Xiu Scholarship in 2017 so that she could study accounting at Singapore Management University. Shanti Pereira career In her youth, Pereira broke a lot of records. She holds the U-23 records for the 100 and 200 meters, and she was a member of the teams that set the records for the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays. She also holds the U-19 records for the 100 and 200 meters, the U-17 records for the 100 and 200 meters, and the U-15 records for the 100 and 200 meters, respectively. At the 2013 World Youth Championships in Athletics in Donetsk, Ukraine, Pereira ran the 100 meters in 11.89 seconds to become the first female Singaporean to do so. In the 100-meter final at the Southeast Asian Games in 2013, she finished fourth. When she ran 200 meters in 23.99 seconds at the Asian Junior Athletics Championships in 2014, she set a record for female Singaporeans. With a time of 11.88 seconds, Pereira captured the bronze medal in the 100 meters at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games, giving Singapore its first medal in the competition in 42 years. She also won the 200-meter gold medal with a timing of 23.60 seconds, shattering the previous national record she had set earlier in the day (23.82 seconds); this was Singapore’s first sprint gold medal in the SEA Games in 42 years. Despite finishing fourth in the 4 x 400-meter relay, the Singapore quartet, of which she was a member, set a new national record by clocking in at 3:40.58. In her last competition, the 4 x 100-meter relay, the team finished fourth but set a new national record with a time of 45.41 seconds. Pereira earned the bronze medal in the 100 and 200 meters events at the Southeast Asian Games in 2017 and repeated the feat in 2019. Through universality places, Pereira was able to qualify for the 200 meters at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She placed sixth in her heat with a timing of 23.96s, which was a season-high. In the 100-meter heats at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Pereira ran 11.48s, shattering her previous mark of 11.58s from the previous year. 2023 marked a turning point for Pereira. She lowered her national record on March 3 by clocking 11.46 seconds in the 100-meter heats at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships. Due to the significant tailwind (3.4 m/s), even though she ran 11.44 seconds to win bronze in the final, this time was not recognized as a record. She broke her 200-meter national record on March 25 after placing third in the Brisbane Track Class, clocking a time of 23.16 seconds. She set a new national record for the 100-meter sprint on March 31 after clocking a time of 11.38 at the Australia Open. The following day, when she won the final, she dropped the record to 11.37. She set a new national record and set a new Singaporean record for the 200-meter race on April 2 by finishing in 22.89 seconds, breaking the 23-second barrier for the first time. Pereira also made history in 2023 by topping the Asian women’s 100-meter outdoor rankings for the first time as a Singaporean. Pereira successfully defended her 200-meter crown in the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh in 2023. Her time of 22.69 seconds broke both the Singapore and SEA Games records. She also won the 100-meter race, making history as the first woman from Singapore to sweep both sprint events at the SEA Games. In addition to breaking her national record for the 100 meters at the Asian Athletics Championships on July 14 in a time of 11.20s, Pereira also became the first Singaporean to win a gold medal there, ending the nation’s 16-year medal drought at the continental meet. Two days later, Pereira won the 200m as well, clocking a new championship-record time of 22.70 seconds. On July 31, she overcame Gina Luckenkemper, the current European 100-meter and 4×100-meter relay champion, to win the 200-meter gold at the Mittsommernacht Athletics competition in Berlin with a time of 23.32 seconds. Does Shanti Pereira have any siblings? Shanti Pereira shares the same parents with her three siblings; her two older sisters, Valerie and Shobi and her elder brother, Anand. Source: www.Ghgossip.com
5 athletes, including badminton’s Loh Kean Yew, nominated for 2023 Sportsman of the Year award The awards will be given out at the Singapore Sports Award ceremony on Aug 23. Han Xinyi Still doesn’t understand how the kopi c, o, kosong system works. Published: 3 August 2023, 4:51 PM Last year’s Sportsman of the year Loh Kean Yew is in the running to defend his crown once again at the Singapore Sports Awards (SSA). The list of nominees for the awards were announced on Thursday, and Kean Yew will face competition from four others – pencak silat’s Seik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin, swimming’s Teong Tzen Wei, fencing’s Jonathan Au Eong, and xiangqi’s Alvin Woo. This year’s SSA presentation ceremony will take place on Aug 23. Organised by the Singapore National Olympic Council and Sport Singapore (SportSG), SSA is held annually to award “deserving individuals and teams” who have accomplished fruitful results in the previous year. Each main award finalist is nominated by the National Sports Association in accordance with an eligibility criteria that includes factors like the nominees’ achievements. Kean Yew, 26, is Singapore’s highest-ranked male shuttler ever, when he rose to become the world’s number 5 player in October last year. He is currently ranked seventh in the world. Farhan, 26, is a three-time silat world champion whose family has strong roots in the sport. He came in first at the 2023 SEA Games, making it his third consecutive SEA Games gold medal. Jonathan, 23, took home two gold medals from the Games’ men’s foil individual and team categories. Tzen Wei, 25, was the third Singaporean athlete to win a Commonwealth Games swimming medal in 2022. He also won one gold and two silver medals at the 2023 SEA Games. Alvin, 39, clinched two SEA Games gold medals for the men’s blitz team and standard singles categories this year. This year’s Sportswoman of the Year title is contested for by table tennis’ Feng Tian Wei, pencak silat’s Siti Khadijah, xiangqi’s Ngo Lan Huong, swimming’s Quah Jing Wen, bowling’s Cherie Tan, archery’s Contessa Loh and shooting’s Teh Xiu Hong. Jing Wen, 22, clinched a total of five gold medals for Singapore during the 2023 SEA Games, while fellow Sportswoman of the Year nominee Tian Wei, 36, claimed three gold titles in the 2022 Commonwealth Games’ table tennis women’s singles, doubles and women’s team categories. Siti Khadijah, 22, made her SEA Games debut last year at Hanoi and competed in two other pencak silat championships in 2022. Lan Huong, Cherie, Contessa and Xiu Hong also made notable achievements in previous renditions of the SEA Games. Teh Xiu Hong (left) earned Singapore its first shooting gold since 2017, while Feng Tian Wei (right) won three gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. PHOTO CREDITS: TEAM SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE NATIONAL OLYMPIC COUNCI Max Lee (diving), Maximilian Maeder (sailing), Nicholas Mahabir (swimming) Aniq ‘Asri Yazid (pencak silat) and Ronan Tan (wushu) will compete for the Sportsboy of the Year award, while Elle Koh (fencing), Kassandra Ong (wushu), Colleen Pee (bowling) and Nadhrah Sahrin (pencak silat) will vie for the Sportsgirl of the Year award. The ice hockey men’s team, tchoukball women’s team and water polo women’s team are up for the Team of the Year honours, while Helmi Chew (bowling), Gao Ning (table tennis), Joewe Lam (ice hockey), Li Peng (diving), Sheik Alau’ddin Yacoob Marican (pencak silat), Gary Tan (swimming) and Teo Shun Xie (shooting) are up for the Coach of the Year award. A total of 13 awards will be given out at the SSA. The full list of categories and nominations can be found below: Sportsman of the Year: Loh Kean Yew (badminton), Sheik Farhan Sheik Alau’ddin (pencak silat), Jonathan Au Eong (fencing), Teong Tzen Wen (swimming), Alvin Woo (xiangqi) Sportswoman of the Year: Feng Tianwei (table tennis), Siti Khadijah Mohamand Shahrem (pencak silat), Ngo Lan Huong (xiangqi), Quah Jing Wen (swimming), Cherie Tan Shi Hua (bowling), Contessa Loh Tze Chieh (archery), Teh Xiu Hong (shooting) Sportsboy of the Year: Max Lee (diving), Maximillian Maeder (sailing), Nicholas Rui Karsten Mahabir (swimming), Aniq ‘Asri Mohammad Yazid (pencak silat), Ronan Tan (wushu) Sportsgirl of the Year: Elle Koh Meihui (fencing), Kassandra Ong Xue Ling (wushu), Colleen Pee (bowling), Nadhrah Sahrin (pencak silat) Coach of the Year: Helmi Chew Bin Adam (bowling), Gao Ning (table tennis), Joewe Lam Tat Chung (ice hockey), Li Peng (diving), Sheik Alau’ddin Yacoob Marican (pencak Silat), Gary Tan (swimming), Teo Shun Xie (shooting) Team of the Year (Team Sport): Ice hockey men’s team, Tchoukball women’s team, Water polo women’s team Team of the Year (Event): Badminton mixed doubles (Team Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games) – Terry Hee, Jessica Tan Wei Han Fencing women’s foil team (Asian Fencing Championships) – Amita Berthier, Denyse Chan, Cheung Kemei, Maxine Wong Shooting pistol women’s team (ISSF World Cup Changwon) – Teh Xiu Hong, Teh Xiu Yi, Teo Shun Xie Pencak silat women’s artistic team (19th Pencak Silat World Championships) – Iffah Batrisyia Noh, Amirah Sahrin, Nur Ashikin Zulkifli Table tennis women’s team (Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games) – Feng Tianwei, Wong Xinru, Zeng Jian, Zhou Jingyi Sportsboy/Sportsgirl Team Of the Year (Team Sport): Ice hockey under-17 boys’ team, Softball mixed team, Tchoukball women’s team Sportsboy/Sportsgirl Team of the Year (Event): Bowling women’s doubles team (IBF Under 21 World Championships) – Colleen Pee, Arianne Tay Kai Lin Fencing sabre junior women’s team (World Junior Fencing Championships) – Juliet Heng Jie Min, Heidi Loo, Teh Liang Yu Best Sports Event of the Year (Community / Mass Participation): OCBC Cycle 2022, Standard Chartered Marathon 2022 Best Sports Event of the Year (Exhibition / Competition): FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022, Singapore Smash 2022 Most Inspiring Sports Story of the Year: Sazali Abdul Aziz (The Straits’ Times), Rohit Brijnath (The Straits’ Times), Chia Han Keong (Yahoo! News Singapore), David Lee (The Straits’ Times), Lauren Ong (CNA TV) Best Sports Photo of the Year: Abd Rahman Bujang, Joelle Chan Ming Tong, Bryan Foo, Stefanus Ian Tjhin Punan, Joseph Wong
Here's why you should pay attention to Singapore women's football With the Women’s World Cup taking place this month, here's what you should know about Singapore’s growing women’s football scene. PHOTO: Instagram/Danelle Tan, Instagram/Women's Football in Singapore PUBLISHED ONAUGUST 09, 2023 5:00 PM By FARHAN SHAFIE Women’s football has been on the rise across the globe in recent years. And it’s not just because they are now being featured in the popular FIFA video games. While it may take a lot of effort and investment for the women’s game to enjoy the same profile as the men’s, we’ve seen significant steps being made, especially right here in Singapore. In the spirit of the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup that’s happening in nearby Australia and New Zealand, here are five reasons why you should be paying attention to Singapore women’s football. 1. Danelle Tan became the first Singaporean footballer to play in the German league For football aficionados, the iconic yellow and black jersey of Borussia Dortmund will be instantly recognisable to you. Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Marco Reus have all pulled on the famous kit. Well, get ready for this — a Singaporean footballer recently joined that hallowed club! Remember her name, Danelle Tan. This highly talented 18-year-old has become the first Asian player to join Borussia Dortmund's women's team. How cool is that? Having signed with the German giants back in June, she’s currently involved in pre-season training, which includes epic camps in the beautiful German Alps. While Borussia Dortmund's men's team is among Europe's elites, their women's side was only formed in 2021. The players on the women's team might not all be on professional, full-time contracts, but that doesn't dim Danelle's excitement one bit. She even set aside college to make the move happen, which speaks of her dedication to the sport. Having joined on a year-long deal, Danelle has big plans to stick around for the long term. It's absolutely fantastic to see our own Singaporean gal being a trailblazer on the global stage. We'll definitely be keeping tabs on Danelle and cheering her on every step of the way as she hopefully creates more history for Singapore women’s football. 2. More female local football personalities covering the sport Singapore women’s football is getting attention not only on the pitch but on the sidelines as well. Ash Hashim, also known as Futbolita, is Singapore's very own football superstar journalist. She not only creates viral football-related content on her social media platforms; she is also a FIFA Players' Agent and FIFA-accredited journalist. Ash’s FIFA-accredited journalist pass gave her the amazing opportunity to fly over to Doha last December to cover the World Cup in Qatar and provide exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage. Ash is also a passionate advocate for the local women’s football scene. She regularly interviews local female footballers and reports on Women’s Singapore Premier League matches, using her highly visible social media presence to raise the profile of the league. 3. The Singapore Women's Premier League recently inked a sponsorship deal with Deloitte We all know the biggest barrier when it comes to growing the local game is building funding for the sport. It’s no different for the Singapore Women’s Premier League (WPL). Since its inception in 2000, the league has never had its own sponsor. But that all changed in 2022, when consulting firm Deloitte became the league’s first-ever title sponsor. Talk about a game-changer! In this three-year deal, with a possible extension of two more years, Deloitte is investing over $300,000 to support the local women's football scene. And that's not all — the prize money for the WPL champions is set to skyrocket fivefold, reaching an impressive $25,000. Now we're talking some serious moolah! This has now led to an expansion in the league, with nine teams competing for the prize money. The new additions — Hougang United, Balestier Khalsa, and Albirex Niigata - are Singapore Premier League (SPL) clubs that have proudly incorporated senior women's teams into their ranks. It's all about supporting and promoting women's football, baby! Thanks to Deloitte's sponsorship, the local women's football scene is getting a major boost, and the champions are in for some serious cash rewards. 4. The Lionesses will be the only national football team competing at the upcoming Asian Games after the men’s team’s withdrawal It’s not just the local women’s clubs that are making headway. Our very own Singapore Women’s National Football Team has been doing us proud on the international front. This year alone, they finished third in their group at the Cambodia SEA Games, defeated Asian powerhouse Pakistan in a friendly, and will be the only SG football representation at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. This came after the Men’s U-22 National Team was pulled from the upcoming Asian Games due to severe underperformance at the competition. So if you’re a local football fan, your hope will rest on the steady shoulders of our young Lionesses to represent our red and white flag. 5. The FIFA Women's World Cup throws the spotlight on the sport Unless you're living under a rock, you'd know that the Women’s World Cup is currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand until August 20. With the global boom in women's football, it’s no surprise that Mediacorp, Singtel, and StarHub have collaborated for this event for the first time to provide unprecedented broadcast coverage in Singapore for the tournament. All 64 matches will be screened throughout the month. It’s a sign that interest in women's football is on the rise. While the usual suspects such as the US, Japan, and England dominate the global headlines, we’ve also seen our neighbours the Philippines and Vietnam put on a worthy showing. It only makes you believe that the incredible generation of talented female players emerging in Singapore right now could stand a chance to qualify for future World Cups, given the right funding and support from the community. Onwards and upwards we go, Lionesses! ALSO READ: Singapore footballer Danelle Tan, 18, sets aside college to join German giants Borussia Dortmund This article was first published on Wonderwall.sg.
Shanti Pereira qualifies for World C’ships on merit, first Singaporean to do so in over a decade Shanti Pereira (left) claimed a 100m-200m sprint double at the Asian championships in July. PHOTO: SINGAPORE ATHLETICS Kimberly Kwek UPDATED AUG 10, 2023, 11:51 PM SGT SINGAPORE – Shanti Pereira notched another milestone in a stellar 2023 for her as she has qualified for the World Athletics Championships on merit. Pereira, 26, booked her spot at the Aug 19-27 meet in Budapest through her world rankings in both the women’s 100m and 200m events. She is the first Singaporean to do so since at least 2011, when national body Singapore Athletic began to track such data. Pereira has competed in three previous world championships but as a wild card. There are several ways to qualify directly for the biennial competition. The first is by meeting the entry standard by the July 30 deadline, with the additional slots filled by those who qualify via their world rankings position. Athletes are awarded points based on a combination of result and placing, as well as the level of the competition for the meet. There were 48 spots for both the 100m and 200m. For the former, 24 sprinters had met the entry standard of 11.08 seconds, while another 24 made it through by their world rankings. Pereira, whose personal best is 11.20sec, was 49th in the world rankings at the end of the qualification window with 1,220 points. But she qualified as the 36th-highest entrant as each country is allowed only a maximum of three entrants, though Jamaica have four representatives, as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the defending champion. In the 200m, 26 women met the qualifying time of 22.60sec. Another 22 qualified through their world rankings positions. Pereira, whose personal best this season is 22.69sec, which is also a national record, was second on that list with 1,228 points. She has been in fine form in 2023. She claimed a historic 100m-200m sprint double at the Cambodia SEA Games in May, before repeating that feat at the Asian championships in July. In recent weeks, Pereira has been training and competing in Europe. At the Mittsommernacht Athletics meet on July 30, she beat German Gina Luckenkemper, the reigning European 100m and 4x100m relay champion, to win gold in the 200m. She also finished first in the same event at the Folksam Grand Prix in Malmo, Sweden, earlier in August. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Shanti Pereira beats European sprint champion to win 200m gold at Berlin meet Sprinter Shanti Pereira’s performances will inspire next generation, say former athletes
Young table tennis team look to surprise again at Asian Games (From left) Singapore's Asiad-bound table tennis players: Koen Pang, Lucas Tan, Beh Kun Ting, Izaac Quek, Clarence Chew, Zeng Jian, Ser Lin Qian, Zhou Jing Yi, Goi Rui Xuan, and Wong Xin Ru. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG David Lee Sports Correspondent UPDATED AUG 19, 2023, 12:23 AM SGT SINGAPORE – The Singapore Table Tennis Association’s proud run of winning a medal at every Asian Games since the turn of the millennium will be put to a stern test, as it continues to transition from China-born players to home-grown talents. At STTA’s media day at its Toa Payoh headquarters on Friday, it unveiled its Hangzhou Asian Games squad: Clarence Chew, Koen Pang, Izaac Quek, Beh Kun Ting and Lucas Tan (men), Zeng Jian, Goi Rui Xuan, Wong Xin Ru, Zhou Jingyi and Ser Lin Qian (women). Tan replaces Ethan Poh, the only change to the team that regained Asean dominance when they won four out of seven golds at the Cambodia SEA Games in May. The squad have an average age of 21.5. Chew, 27, is the only member with Asiad experience having played in Incheon, South Korea in 2014, while Zeng, 26, is the sole China-born player. While STTA president Poh Li San is “optimistic” about continuing the fine streak, she did not set a medal target. She said: “The upcoming challenge is not easy, as we are set to compete against the best from Asia. However, I am optimistic about our chances, and I have complete confidence that our paddlers will strive to do their best for Singapore.” The Republic won its first Asiad table tennis medal in Jakarta in 1962 – a men’s team bronze from Lim Wai Sheng, Lim Jin Choon, Goh Soo Nam and Sim Poh Lin. Singapore had to wait 40 years for its next Asiad table tennis medal, with Li Jiawei, Jing Junhong, Zhang Xueling and Tan Paey Fern winning a women’s team bronze before Li added a women’s singles bronze in South Korea. In all, the sport has contributed two Asiad silvers and nine bronzes, with Yu Mengyu claiming a women’s singles bronze in 2018. With world-class opponents from hosts China, Japan, South Korea and Chinese Taipei in the mix, another medal looks to be a tall order, but the Singaporeans are up for the challenge. Zeng, who won a breakthrough SEA Games women’s singles gold in May, said that they need to “take the game to the stronger players”. She added: “I didn’t expect to be the SEA Games women’s singles champion, but I fought hard and accomplished it. I will take the same mentality to the Asiad.” Quek, who won the SEA Games men’s singles, doubles and team gold, is also adopting an underdog mentality and taking inspiration from Yu and Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan. They won the women’s and men’s singles bronze in 2018 despite being ranked 47th and 94th in the world respectively then. The 17-year-old said: “Such results motivate me and show that a podium finish is possible.” The national players have a packed schedule ahead of the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asiad. They had just completed a one-month training camp in Taiwan and will fly to the Czech Republic on Sunday to play in the Aug 22-27 WTT Feeder Olomouc. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Table tennis: Mental fortitude behind China’s dominance Lights, sounds, a warrior and a circus company! Welcome to table tennis They will then compete in the Sept 3-10 Asian Championships in Pyeongchang, and remain in South Korea for a one-week training camp with the Hangchon Academy in Daejeon until Sept 18 before heading to China. National women’s team coach Jing Junhong said: “I won’t talk about medals but I feel we are on the up... For a team comprising debutantes, I hope they can play with no fear and create some upsets to instil more confidence in their development trajectory.” National men’s team coach Gao Ning added: “It will be a good learning experience for our young team and I want them to play to their potential and produce some exciting matches and surprises.”
Marc Tay, Singapore’s first Sportsboy, dies at 63 Photo: FB screengrab/ Singapore Aquatics Share Follow us on Instagram and Telegram August 18, 2023 By Aiah Bathan “We are deeply saddened by the passing of former national swimmer Dr Marc Tay Tze-Hsin… Thank you Dr. Tay for your contribution to Singapore sports. We will continue to fly our flags high,” Singapore Aquatics shared the announcement to the public SINGAPORE: Singaporean former national swimmer Marc Tay was known to be a mentor and an older brother to his teammates. Recently, the first recipient of the Sportsboy of the Year award died at the age of 63. The cause of his death remains unknown and is yet to be confirmed. In a Facebook post made by Singapore Aquatics, the group shared the announcement to the public. The caption stated: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of former national swimmer Dr Marc Tay Tze-Hsin… Thank you Dr. Tay for your contribution to Singapore sports. We will continue to fly our flags high.” Marc Tay started swimming at the age of eight and represented his school in swimming at the upper-primary level. He was one of the most promising swimmers in the Under-17 age group and in 1977, he clocked 56.08 seconds in the 100m freestyle at the Singapore Amateur Swimming Association National Age Group meet to beat the previous record of 56.30 seconds. During the above-mentioned year, he also became the first local swimmer to break the 56-second mark in the same event with 55.85 seconds at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games. He won two golds, three silvers, and three bronzes from four editions of the biennial Games. To recognize his outstanding performance in the field of swimming, the Sportsboy of the Year award was first given to Marc Tay, an award given to Singaporean citizens below the age of 18 who excels in sports. His wake will be held at the Singapore Funeral Parlour at 91 Tampines Link until Saturday, August 19.
Shanti Pereira breaks Singapore record, qualifies for 200m semis at World Athletics Championships Singapore's Shanti Pereira (left) clocked 22.57 seconds to finish second in Heat Three behind Jamaica’s defending champion Shericka Jackson (22.51sec). PHOTO: REUTERS Kimberly Kwek UPDATED AUG 24, 2023, 12:03 AM SGT SINGAPORE – Singapore’s reigning Asian champion Shanti Pereira booked her spot in the 200m semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships on Wednesday, breaking her national record along the way. At the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, she clocked 22.57 seconds to finish second in Heat 3 behind Jamaica’s defending champion Shericka Jackson (22.51sec). Pereira’s time also matches the event’s entry mark of 22.57 for the Paris 2024 Olympics. She is the first Singaporean to meet an Olympic qualifying standard and reach the semi-finals of the world championships. The 26-year-old’s previous best was 22.69 that she set en route to winning the gold medal at the Cambodia SEA Games in May. The top three of each heat and the next six fastest qualifiers advanced to the 200m semi-finals on Thursday (Friday morning, Singapore time). Pereira was 12th overall of 44 runners. American Sha’Carri Richardson, who won the 100m on Monday, was fastest in 22.16, followed by compatriot Gabrielle Thomas (22.26). Pereira, who missed the cut for the 100m semi-finals on Sunday, said: “It feels amazing. It was a goal for my coach and I to try and make it to the semi-finals for the 200m as well as try and hit that Olympic qualifying mark, so we came in ready. “I was really pumped before the race, I was happy to be there competing with a really amazing field. I’m really glad that I executed my race the way we planned. I can’t describe how happy I am right now.” She had qualified for the Aug 19-27 world meet in Hungary on merit through her world rankings in the 100m and 200m, becoming the first Singaporean to do so since at least 2011, when national body Singapore Athletics began to track such data. This is the latest achievement for her in 2023. In July, she won a historic 100-200m sprint double at the Asian championships in Bangkok, just two months after the same feat at the SEA Games in Phnom Penh. Since March, she has rewritten her 100m national mark six times and has now lowered her 200m standard four times. Having clocked the fastest times in Asia for both events this season, she looks set to be a medal contender at the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asian Games in Hangzhou. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Making peace with herself has helped S'pore sprint queen Shanti Pereira win SEA Games 2023: Meet the coach who lit the spark in sprint queen Shanti Pereira Ahead of the semi-finals, Pereira said: “For now, it’s just recovery and going in tomorrow with the same plan, executing the race the way we want to and just having fun. “I’m at the semi-finals at the world championships, so I’m just going to embrace every single moment. “It definitely feels different having come here qualified through my world ranking, it’s definitely a different feeling because it feels like I’m with the pack. “It just feels really good to be here and compete with some of the world’s best athletes.” MORE ON THIS TOPIC SEA Games 2023: Seven things about sprinter Shanti Pereira When does talent bloom? Lessons from sprinter Shanti Pereira’s revival
How Singapore won 1,000 SEA Games golds In 64 years of the South-east Asian Games, Singapore has demonstrated its prowess in sport. With the women’s swimming relay team bagging Singapore’s 1,000th gold, we look back at its golden milestones, starting from gold No. 1. BY ALEX LIM AND DAVID LEE | PUBLISHED: MAY 07, 2023 As the South-east Asian Games unfold in Cambodia this weekend, Singapore finds itself scoring a monumental achievement - winning its 1,000th gold medal in the history of the Games. The milestone serves as proof of the nation’s commitment to excellence in sport and its remarkable journey towards becoming a sporting powerhouse in the region. Women’s swimming brings home gold
1,000 Quah Ting Wen, Nur Marina Chan, Quah Jing Wen and Amanda Lim 2023 | Swimming | Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay It was a team effort that delivered the milestone goal for Team Singapore, as the women’s swimming 4x100m freestyle relay quartet of Quah Ting Wen, Nur Marina Chan, Quah Jing Wen and Amanda Lim led from start to finish and touched the wall first at the Morodok Techo National Aquatics Centre on May 6. 900 Gong Qianyun 2019 | Chess | Women’s rapid chess Singapore had never checkmated its way to gold until Gong emerged on top on Dec 3. The woman grandmaster started with three wins and one draw in Subic before losing to Ummi Fisabilillah, but the Indonesian later dropped points as Gong went on to land a historic 900th gold. 800 Jovina Choo, Terena Lam, Dawn Liu and Daniella Ng 2015 | Sailing | Women’s fleet racing keelboat On a day when a lack of sailing wind had delayed races by more than two hours, Singapore's women’s keelboat sailors delivered the 800th gold without racing due to a timeout on June 9. The gold medal was awarded to Choo, Lam, Liu and Ng, who had won all their previous round-robin races. 700 Feng Tianwei and Sun Beibei 2011 | Table tennis | Women’s doubles In her second SEA Games, Feng Tianwei made up for the disappointment of losing the mixed doubles final by winning the women's doubles gold with Sun Beibei. They survived a scare to beat Thai pair Nanthana Komwong and Aisara Muangsuk 3-2 (11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9) on Nov 15 in Jakarta to smash the 700-gold mark as Singapore went on to sweep all seven table tennis golds for the last time. 600 Chan Keng Kwang 2005 | Billiards and snooker | Men’s 9-ball singles In a discipline dominated by the Filipinos, Singapore had not won an individual pool gold at the Games until "secret weapon" Chan Keng Kwang beat Vietnam's Luong Chi Dung 11-5 in the final on Dec 4 and pocketed the Republic's last gold in Manila and 600th gold overall. 500 Joscelin Yeo 1999 | Swimming | Women’s 50m freestyle In her fifth SEA Games, Jaws-lin showed her bite in Brunei to help Singapore seal its 500th gold on Aug 13. Despite nursing an elbow injury, she fended off Thailand's 16-year-old Pilin Tachakittiranan to set a new women's 50m freestyle Games record of 26.23sec. 400 Joscelin Yeo 1993 | Swimming | Women’s 200m freestyle Still only 13, Yeo made a huge splash at her home Games when she won nine gold and one silver medals to just miss out on Junie Sng's 10-gold feat from 1983. Her seventh gold on June 16 would be Singapore's 400th gold as she won the 200m freestyle in 2min 6.03sec, more than 1.5 seconds quicker than Indonesia's Meitri Widya Pangestika. 300 Men’s water polo team 1985 | Water polo | Men’s water polo Another ton of gold medals was completed in Bangkok when the men's team beat Indonesia 11-8 on Dec 13 despite suffering eight sackings to the opponents' two. The victory extended their unbeaten run to 11 editions since the sport made its Games debut in 1965. 200 Tan Thuan Heng, Marc Tay, David Hoe, Soen Lay Heng 1975 | Swimming | Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay Perhaps a sign of the swimming dominance that was to come for Singapore, its men's 4x100m freestyle team comfortably touched the wall first in 3:50.24 on Dec 14 in the last Seap Games in Bangkok before they were renamed South-east Asian Games. 100 Khong Yiu Lan 1971 | Swimming | Women’s 100m breaststroke Since the first gold, Singapore needed 12 years and six Games - the 1963 Cambodia Games were cancelled – to reach the 100-gold mark, as 16-year-old Khong claimed the honour by clocking 1:26.69 to beat Malaysia's Rosanna Lam on Dec 12 in Kuala Lumpur, where she also won the women's 200m breaststroke final in 3:04.04. 1 Tan Eng Yoon 1959 | Athletics | Men’s 400m hurdles The 31-year-old won the men's 400m hurdles in 54.90sec on Dec 13 as he beat compatriot Gunasena Migale by more than two seconds in Bangkok. This also marked the first time the Singapore’s flag was raised at the regional Games. Tan, who died in 2010, went on to win the triple jump gold with a leap of 14.86m and a 110m hurdles bronze in 16.00sec. A testament to Team Singapore’s consistency on the South-east Asian stage since 1959 TAN CHUAN-JIN Singapore National Olympic Council president More than 60 years after Singapore made its debut at the 1959 South-east Asian Peninsular (Seap) Games in Bangkok, the Republic won its 1,000th gold medal at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia on Saturday. It was fitting for the island nation that its swimmers ended up making the breakthrough as the regional giants have consistently plundered medals in the pool. Singapore is the sixth and smallest nation from the 11 participating countries to join the 1,000-gold club, after Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The swimmers have won gold medals at every Games except at the 1961 edition. They have bagged 373 golds over 64 years, including what they have won so far at this year’s event. They have also topped swimming’s medal table at every SEA Games since 2005. Gold medals by year 19591961196519671969197119731975197719791981198319851987198919911993199519971999200120032005200720092011201320152017201920228426283132453814161238161932185026302322304243334235845853471959196119651967196919711973197519771979198119831985198719891991199319951997199920012003200520072009201120132015201720192022842628313245381416123816193218502630232230424333423584585347 Singapore has netted gold in 45 different sports from 1959 to 2022. Swimming sits at the top for gold earners with a whopping 369 medals. Table tennis is next at 79 golds, followed by athletics, sailing and shooting. How it felt to bring home Singapore’s 1,000th gold medal Ting Wen, 30, said that she realised the quartet could create history after her younger brother Zheng Wen won Singapore’s 999th gold. She said: “On the way to the reporting room, I was telling the other girls, if everything goes according to plan, we could win the 1,000th gold medal.” “It made me a little more excited and a little more nervous also... it is a huge honour for the four of us to do it and I’m very proud of us.” Amanda Lim, 30, said: “We are always very proud and honoured to be part of the Singapore swim team, especially when we walk into the pool and we know we are going to dominate. This is the ninth SEA Games for Ting Wen and I, so this achievement means even more. Nur Marina Chan, 25, whose father Bernard and aunt Patricia are well-known names in swimming, added: “A relay gold is always a bit more special because it’s a collective effort that showcases all of our strengths, and this one even more so because it’s our country’s 1,000th.” Quah Jing Wen, the youngest of the four at 22, said: “Being one of the younger ones on the team, it feels like I’m carrying on the legacy following on from my seniors who have done such a good job earning more than a third of the 1,000 gold medals we had, and it feels a little bit stressful. But I love racing with them.” The South-east Asian Games is now in its 32nd edition and will take place from May 5 to May 17, 2023 in Cambodia. Team Singapore comprises a total of 558 athletes across 30 sports. Follow The Straits Times’ coverage of the SEA games here.
New spexPotential programme for athletes with potential to excel at SEA Games The new spexPotential programme is aimed at strengthening the backing for youth athletes who have the potential of winning SEA Games gold medals. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Kimberly Kwek UPDATED AUG 31, 2023, 4:15 PM SGT SINGAPORE – A new programme to provide support for athletes showing promise of winning gold medals at the SEA Games level, called Sports Excellence Potential (spexPotential), has been added to Singapore’s high performance sport (HPS) system, Sport Singapore announced on Tuesday. Aimed at strengthening the backing for youth athletes, this programme also hopes to make their transition to the senior level smoother, the national agency said in a media statement. The plan is for the athletes to eventually be part of the Sport Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship) programme that was launched in 2013 and offers support to athletes deemed to have the potential to excel on the Asian and world stage. Both spexScholarship and spexPotential programmes provide financial and programmatic support for athletes within the high performance sports pathway. These include a monthly stipend, support for local and overseas training and competitions, sport science and medicine, education, career and personal development. The Singapore Sport Institute and National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) will jointly deliver support to spexPotential athletes. Toh Boon Yi, spexPotential approval panel chairman and Sport Singapore deputy chief executive, said: “Singapore’s HPS system needs to continually evolve so that it takes into account the aspiration and commitment of various cohorts of sporting talent who are at different stages of their development pathways. “We have also enhanced the spexCarding framework and systemised the approach in channelling resources to support the national sports associations’ athlete pipeline development. “With younger cohorts displaying outstanding performances at the recent major Games, it is timely for us to roll out the new spexPotential programme to help them realise their potential to be top class.” Singapore Cycling Federation president Hing Siong Chen believes this was something that was missing in the past and is an important initiative to retain up-and-coming talent who have the potential to go even further. He said: “It provides this bridging opportunity. “We have a lot of athletes who may not progress to the next level because they don’t have enough support and funding. “So with this, it does give them this added impetus to help them achieve what they want. “It shows that our sporting ecosystem is keeping up and committed with changing times. “At least we know there are support services and structures that will help bring out the best in our athletes.” Hing added that it could also motivate athletes to train and compete as it serves as a form of recognition and acknowledgement. Applications for the spexPotential programme will begin from Friday for a two-month period and will be held concurrently with the spexScholarship programme. All eligible nominations for the spexPotential programme will be evaluated by the NYSI before shortlisted candidates are interviewed by a panel comprising NYSI sports specialists. The interview panel’s recommendations will be submitted to the spexPotential selection committee for approval. All nominated athletes will be informed of the outcome of their spexPotential application by Feb 28. MORE ON THIS TOPIC FAS introduces grassroots initiatives to boost youth development Singapore wants successful sporting culture, not solely medals: Eric Chua
Back to the future, Levenia Sim joins Singapore swim team in hunt for honours Levenia Sim (right) is set to follow in her older sister Letitia's footsteps and swim for Singapore. PHOTO: LEVENIA SIM David Lee Sports Correspondent UPDATED SEP 2, 2023, 9:46 PM SGT SINGAPORE – Still only 17, Levenia Sim may prove to be the final piece to the relay puzzle for Singapore swimming. The backstroke specialist has been selected to represent Singapore at the Sept 23-Oct 8 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China and her addition is a timely boost to the national women’s 4x100m medley relay team as they aim to add to the bronze from the 2018 edition. While the Singapore squad boast a number of freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke swimmers, backstroke has been a weak link, with the Republic winning just one gold and one silver out of the 36 medals on offer at the last four SEA Games. In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, Levenia, who was born and raised in Alabama, United States, said she decided to represent Singapore in March, after watching her older sister Letitia donning national colours for the last two years. Letitia was 19 when she made her debut at the SEA Games in Hanoi in 2022. The breaststroke specialist won three golds, one silver and one bronze, and followed up with four golds and a silver at the 2023 Games in Phnom Penh. Levenia said: “Seeing all the things Letitia accomplished while swimming for Singapore definitely influenced my decision a little, but it was more so seeing all the amazing experiences she had and all the things she took away from each experience. “I am beyond excited to be able to swim on the same team with her again, especially at such a high level.” Levenia’s emergence also raises the prospect of a future backstroke queen in the region – the teenager has been making waves in the US as a youth swimmer. Before turning 17 on June 20, she clocked the fastest-ever short-course yards backstroke time in the US for a 16-and-under girl, timing 23.75sec at the 2023 NCSA Spring Championships in March. Also proficient in the fly, Levenia was swimming website Swimswam’s fourth-ranked recruit in the National Collegiate Athletic Association class of 2024, before she committed to Stanford University. The youngest of three sporty siblings – her 23-year-old brother Padraic plays golf – Levenia was four when she jumped into a pool with a summer league swim team, after her doctor suggested it would help with her asthma. She enjoyed the backstroke as it did not require her to hold her breath while swimming, and started competing at six. Letitia, who did gymnastics and golf, would join in as she was bored of watching her sister swim. The sisters are aiming to qualify for the Paris Olympics together. Levenia said: “Having Letitia by my side throughout my whole swimming career has helped me reach where I am today. Having that sister rivalry, but also support, is something not many people have. These, and the continuous support of my parents, have helped me reach goals I never thought were possible.” Judging from her times in the pool, Levenia is set to achieve even more in Singapore colours. MORE ON THIS TOPIC Olympics the goal as Letitia Sim lowers four Singapore swim records in three days How Singapore won 1,000 SEA Games golds In January 2021, and still only 14, she clocked 1min 0.94sec in the 100m backstroke at the TYR Pro Swim Series – Richmond to come close to the Tokyo Olympics qualifying mark of 1:00.25. A fan of Hainanese chicken rice , her appetite for the big stage was further whetted when she competed at the USA Olympic Team Trials in June that year. Levenia said: “The Olympic Team Trials experience was surreal... and I will never forget the incredible environment. The energy throughout the whole building was crazy, and this was during the Covid-19 pandemic, so there were not as many people there. “Being surrounded by and racing with so many talented people is a rare opportunity, so I was very grateful to be there.” With her best long-course times in the 100m (1:00.45) and 200m (2:14.34) backstroke eclipsing local swim queen Tao Li’s longstanding national records of 1:01.60 and 2:17.12 respectively, there will be plenty of opportunities for Singapore’s budding starlet to shine. Along with Brandon Yap, Jadon Yoong and Zackery Tay, Levenia will be one of four swimmers competing in the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel from Monday. With her entry time for the 100m backstroke the fifth fastest among 64 athletes, she will be on the hunt for a podium spot. Her personal best is also less than half a second from the Olympic qualifying mark of 59.99 sec. Singapore Aquatics’ swimming technical director Sonya Porter said: “Levenia has a bright future. For both the World Juniors and Asian Games, we are looking for her to gain major international competitive experience, managing travel across time zones, and managing herself in high stress competitive environments. “Although she has posted internationally ranked times in the 50m and 100m backstroke, she is still learning her potential across multiple events and not boxing herself into any corners. “This will be a great opportunity racing against her future world swimming peers prior to stepping up against the best in Asia. She will gain tremendous racing experience to continue progression toward the Olympic qualification standards.”
Youth paddlers win gold at Asian Junior Exchange Games WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Sports happenings in Singapore (28 Aug-3 Sept) (yahoo.com) Singapore's youth paddlers won the table tennis competition at the Asian Junior Exchange Games, which was held in Tokyo from 26 to 28 August. In a series of gripping matches, Team Singapore defeated teams from Thailand, Jakarta and Delhi in the group stage, before edging Team Malaysia 3-2 in the semi-finals and Team Beijing 3-2 in the final. The triumphant Singapore team comprised of Loy Xing Yao, Ellsworth Le, Jaryl Wong, Joeunn Seow and Janelle Chiang, and were coached by Sun Beibei and Guan Bei. The Asian Junior Exchange Games serve as a platform for young athletes from various Asian cities to come together, fostering sportsmanship, skill development and cultural exchange.
Singapore’s Chess Prodigy: Little Tanvi Trivedi, Primary 2 student wins big at the 7th Eastern Asian Youth Chess Championship 2023 Singapore's Chess Prodigy: Little Tanvi Trivedi, Primary 2 student wins big at the 7th Eastern Asian Youth Chess Championship 2023 - Singapore News (theindependent.sg) Photo: Anupam Trivedi September 7, 2023 By Anna Maria Romero Tanvi's remarkable success and inspiring story of winning at the level of an international chess championship is an outstanding achievement that highlights her dedication and skills that would also surely inspire other young talents in Singapore and the rest of the world SINGAPORE: A young girl has just set herself to a bright future ahead after winning big at the 7th Eastern Asian Youth Chess Championship, held at Changjiang Chess Bay in Hainan, China, from Aug 3 to 11. The Singapore Chess Federation gave a shoutout to the talented girl in a Facebook post, writing, “Special and honorable mention to Tanvi Trivedi who was the only one in the SGP contingent to secure 3 medals across all formats in U8 Girls – Tanvi obtained Gold in Rapid and Silvers in both Standard and Blitz. The ever-cheerful young lady had an outstanding event, and we look forward to her many successes ahead.” Little Tanvi Trivedi, a Primary 2 student at Unity Primary School, cinched a number of honours in the Under-8 Girls category. The young girl competed against representatives from South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, China, Myanmar and Hong Kong. Her outstanding accomplishments at the championship include clinching a gold medal in the Rapid format and silver medals in the Standard and Blitz formats for Singapore. The avid chess player is the daughter of Singapore’s Permanent Residents. Her father, Mr Anupam Trivedi, is also a Research Scientist at NUS. “Her unwavering passion and dedication have been evident through her numerous triumphs in both local and national chess tournaments,” her father proudly told us, and with good reason. Even at her young age, she is no stranger to the pressures of competing on a national level, having already represented Singapore at the Asian Youth Chess Championship 2022 in Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Anupam Trivedi And on a national level, she won the National Rapid Chess Championship Challengers (NRCCC) Singapore in December last year for her age group. She came in second in the Open Women category. Photo: Anupam Trivedi Before that, she emerged as the Under‐7 Girls Champion in the SG Scholastic chess championship organized by Kasparov Chess Foundation Asia Pacific in April 2022. Photo: Anupam Trivedi Tanvi’s remarkable success and inspiring story of winning at the level of an international chess championship is an outstanding achievement that highlights her dedication and skills that would also surely inspire other young talents in Singapore and the rest of the world. /TISG
