Swimming: We'll rule the pool, says Lopez Lim Say HengThe New PaperThursday, Mar 26, 2015 Sergio Lopez, Spaniard, new national swimming coach, held his first session with 18 swimmers from the National Training Centre squad at the OCBC Aquatic Centre at the Singapore Sports Hub on January 5, 2015. Swimming national coach Sergio Lopez is a man in the business of numbers, from training reps, to volume, yardage to timings. Yet, the 46-year-old Spaniard is adamant he will not set a medal target for the upcoming South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Singapore from June 5 and 16. "I don't have a number as a KPI (key performance indicator) yet," said Lopez, who spoke to The New Paper at the Singapore Swimming Association's (SSA) office at the OCBC Aquatic Centre yesterday. "How many gold medals did we win the last time? Eleven. If we win 10, I'll be a failure, and if we win 12, that's a good thing." After a long stint as Joseph Schooling's guide at Florida's Bolles School, Lopez was hired by the SSA and began work as national coach here in January. He acknowledged that the Republic can "win many medals" if the likes of Schooling, siblings Quah Ting Wen and Zheng Wen, Amanda Lim, Tao Li and Danny Yeo perform to their potential. Historically, Singapore have been the top nation in the pool at the biennial Games - the team's best haul was 17 golds, nine silvers and 13 bronzes at the 2011 event in Palembang, in Indonesia. The Republic won 12 events in 1993, the last time the nation hosted the Games, with swim queen Joscelin Yeo claiming seven individual titles and two relay victories, and Ang Peng Siong ending his glittering career with a gold in the 50m freestyle. Schooling and Co. won 11 gold, nine silver and 10 bronze medals in 2013 in Myanmar, with Thailand in second spot (7, 8, 8). REIGN Lopez is confident they will continue to reign in the pool this year. Comparing Singapore's best two times in each event with the respective medal-winning times at the last two Games, and taking into consideration the six relay events, the hosts could possibly set a new best haul this year. While Lopez instructed his swimmers to race hard in both the heats and finals at the February time trials, as well as the recently concluded Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships, the 1988 Olympic 200m breaststroke bronze medallist will use a "totally different strategy" in June. He said: "The only thing that is important during the SEA Games is the number of medals... It is a different strategy - in the morning heats of the SEA Games in some events, they don't have to go hard (to get into the finals). Kids like Joseph or Quah (Zheng Wen), who have multiple events, if they don't have to go hard in the heats, then they shouldn't. "If you can get into the final with a 52-second time in the heats, why swim 48 seconds?" Lopez aims to work on mental strength, biomechanics, nutrition and team unity from now to the start of the Games. "The pressure-cooker environment is going to be everywhere with social media these days," he said. "We are going to be together as a team from 29th or 30th May. If we do a good job managing the swimmers and not getting them too excited, but trying to find a balance, we should be able to utilise their energy to our advantage." How many gold medals did we win the last time? Eleven. If we win 10, I'll be a failure, and if we win 12, that's a good thing. - Swimming national coach Sergio Lopez. sayheng@sph.com.sg This article was first published on March 25, 2015. - See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/sports/swimming-well-rule-pool-says-lopez#sthash.NN29TN8R.dpuf
S'pore swim quartet in line for Asian Games bronze Jonathan WongThe Straits TimesThursday, Mar 26, 2015 Singapore quartet (from left) Danny Yeo, Pang Sheng Jun, Teo Zhen Ren and Clement Lim, rewrote the national 4x200m freestyle relay record at the Asian Games in Incheon, on 22 September 2014 A new national record in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay proved insufficient for a podium spot and they returned empty-handed from last year's Asian Games. But, six months later, the quartet of Danny Yeo, Pang Sheng Jun, Teo Zhen Ren and Clement Lim are in line for an unlikely bronze medal from the Incheon Games. Their time of 7min 25.46sec in September had placed them fourth behind swimming powerhouses Japan, China and South Korea. But they are now set to replace the hosts as podium finishers following yesterday's announcement by Fina that "all results achieved by the swimmer (Park Tae Hwan) on or after Sept 3, 2014 shall be annulled". That means Park, 25, has been stripped of his six Asiad medals, of which three were in the men's relays. Swimming's world body also suspended the South Korean star for 18 months for failing a drug test. While winning a medal in such circumstances is not ideal, Yeo felt that he and his team-mates had done well to finish just four seconds behind the Koreans (7:21.37), who were anchored by Park, the former 400m Olympic champion. Said Yeo, 24, who clocked a then-personal best of 1:49.68: "It was a great team effort and everyone swam a fantastic race. "We did our best and, even without a medal, we were proud of ourselves." This will be Singapore's first Asiad relay medal since the 1990 edition in Beijing when Ang Peng Siong, David Lim, Kenneth Yeo and Harold Gan finished third in the 4x100m free. It explained Clement's delight. Said the 21-year-old, who like his team-mates has been monitoring the progress of Park's hearings since news broke of the Korean's failed dope test in January: "Sheng Jun woke me up at 4am to tell me what happened. I was so excited I couldn't go back to sleep. "That was probably my last Asian Games and to come away with a medal, even though it happened like this, is very special." The Singapore Swimming Association's vice-president (swimming) Joscelin Yeo said: "Although it comes six months after the event, this medal will give them the added motivation for the SEA Games in June and beyond; believing that they can succeed at higher international levels." This is not the first time that local athletes have been awarded medals post-competition. The men's 4x400m athletics team had finished fourth at the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia but were eventually awarded the bronze after winners Malaysia had one of their runners disqualified for doping. Clement was also a member of the 4x100m medley team that finished second behind Indonesia at the 2013 SEA Games but were bumped up after one of the winning quartet - breaststroke specialist Indra Gunawan - failed a drugs test. Meanwhile, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which organises the Asian Games, has yet to set a deadline for the reallocation of medals. Its spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday: "Park can still decide to open (his) B sample or not, and even file an appeal after that, so there are still many unconcluded doping and legal procedures in his case. "Therefore, OCA is not in position to announce anything at this moment." This article was first published on March 25, 2015. - See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/sports/spore-swim-quartet-line-asian-games-bronze#sthash.XRx03Bcf.dpuf
wow a daily entry ticket for badminton cost S$20 ($16 if you have a DBS/POSB/OCBC card) and $70 for the season ticket (excluding booking fees) http://tickets.seagames2015.com/cgi...D=net-asia02&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=
Indonesia eyes two badminton golds in upcoming SEA Games Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-3-26 21:40:50 Global World [HR][/HR] The Indonesian badminton team is targeting the men's doubles and the mixed doubles gold medals at the upcoming ASEAN Games in June in Singapore, official said here Thursday. The target was made based on the performance of the players recently, said Rexy Mainaky, head of coaching and achievement of the Indonesian badminton association. "By seeing more stable performance at the men's doubles and the mixed doubles, we put a realistic target," he said. On the women's singles, Rexy said that the team put a target of bronze medal. The Indonesian team also expects to get silver medals in the men's team, the women's team and the women's doubles, and a bronze medal for the men's singles. Posted in: Miscellany
Mother’s support crucial for Singapore's SEA Games Judo medal hopeful Yahoo Sports By Cheryl Tay By Cheryl Tay | Fit To Post Sports – Tue, Apr 14, 2015 10:14 AM SGT Singapore Judoka Tania Forichon (right) and her mother Hwee Ping, who is her biggest supporter. Photo by Cheryl …First establishing herself in the world of cars and motorsports, Cheryl Tay is a keen photojournalist who is equally enthusiastic about fitness and sports.More of her at CherylTay.sg and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (cheryltaysg). The last SEA Games gold medal won by a female Judo athlete was in 1985 at the 13th SEA Games held in Bangkok. But Tania Forichon is hoping to change that at this year’s SEA Games on home soil. “I’m hoping to make a difference this time. I am aiming to make it to the finals at least and that’s a realistic target,” said the 18-year-old Raffles Institution student who holds a 1st Dan black belt in Judo. She clinched the gold medal at the National Schools Judo Championships last Wednesday (8 April) before flying off to Mongolia for a month-long training camp with the national team. “The SEA Games will be the most important competition for me. The team has been working hard and Singapore has invested a lot for the Games. We have been going for big competitions to gain more exposure and the team has been putting in a lot of effort,” she added. Mother’s support Forichon usually trains with Jagsport twice every day except Sunday – at 7am before school and again at 6.30pm after school. Raffles Institution allowed her to come to school late due to training. With such a tight schedule, her mother, 46-year-old realtor Hwee Ping Forichon, plays a crucial role in helping her balance her commitments, especially with her GCE ‘A’ levels looming at the end of this year. “My mother is very important,” Forichon said, “She fetches me to trainings and she also takes care of me when I’m unwell. She’s my biggest supporter and is at all my local matches. “Parents’ support is more important than what people think. A lot of athletes don’t excel because they don’t have their parents’ full support.” Tania Forichon clinched the gold medal at the National Schools Judo Championships on 8 April. Photo by Cheryl Tay. Natural talent Born in Singapore to a French father and Singaporean mother, Forichon moved to Geneva, Switzerland at the age of two. When she was seven, a private judo club practising at her school caught her interest and she wanted to try it with her friends. Falling in love with the sport, Forichon kept training and after two years, she switched clubs so she could start competing in national and club events all over Switzerland. Taking to the competitive side of the sport quickly, she won gold in all seven competitions she competed in 2009 in the Junior (U13) category. In 2011, Forichon returned to Singapore and started looking for opportunities to continue competing in Judo. It wasn’t difficult for her to get into the game fast – she won the 2012 National Schools Judo Championships and also the Hong Kong Youth and Junior Judo Tournament. For the next three years – including this year – Forichon defended her title at the National Schools Judo Championships. She has travelled to several countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Mongolia and New Zealand to train and compete. Winning the Trisakti International Judo Tournament in Jakarta and the South East Asian Judo Championships, Forichon caught the attention of the Judo scene but still refers to herself as the “underdog”. Singapore judoka Tania Forichon in action. Photo courtesy of Tania Forichon. Balancing act School commitments have never a problem for Forichon, who aces her examinations. During her current month-long training camp in Mongolia, she will be doing online lectures and communicating with her tutors via e-mails. “I will have to be disciplined and do my homework. It is difficult, especially when you are tired from a long day of training, but it can be done,” she said. Her mother added, “Tania is mature enough to balance her studies and training. She has been competing since a young age and that gives her an edge. There will be pressure on home ground with the whole country watching you, but I’m confident she can handle it.” Judo will take place from 6-8 June at the Singapore Expo.
Young guns look ahead to SEA Games Sean Ang. Photo: Singapore Water Polo Janine Khoo, gold medallist in the women’s individual show jumping at... [More] National shuttler Liang Xiaoyu. Photo: Adelene Wong From horse riding to water polo and badminton, young Singapore athletes deal with the pressure of competing before a home crowd By Adelene Wong Published: 4:17 AM, April 21, 2015 SINGAPORE — Two months before she was to compete at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar, Singapore equestrian Janine Khoo had her training plans thrown into disarray when she met with a horrific accident. The then-16-year-old was thrown from her horse during a training session and shattered her cheekbone. But after six hours of reconstructive surgery, 21 stitches and the insertion of titanium plates, the gutsy teenager got back on her feet — and her horse CP Safari — on her way to bag a gold in the women’s individual show jumping at the games, a first for Singapore in the sport since 1995. Janine’s triumph over adversity has inspired many, and earned the 17-year-old an entry in the “50-est Stirring Stories for the Singapore Soul” book launched by the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) last Friday. Along with shooter Martina Lindsay Veloso, Liang Xiaoyu (badminton), and Sean Ang (water polo), Janine is one of promising young athletes looking to steal the limelight from their seniors in their 50-gold medal hunt at the June 5 to 16 SEA Games. “Everything is getting a lot more intense as the 2015 SEA Games draw nearer. I have been juggling school and riding, and it is not easy,” said Ms Khoo. “There will definitely be more pressure in this SEA Games compared to the 2013 Games because it is on home ground and everyone will be watching you. But pressure is something I know I must handle well, and come competition day when I am in the ring, I have to just be focused on competing, and block out everything else.” National shuttler Liang Xiaoyu will be taking part in the women’s singles event for the first time at the SEA Games, as the national women’s team looks to rebuild after the retirement of Gu Juan, Xing Aiying, Yao Lei and Fu Mingtian. Liang acknowledged that there are more expectations for the next generation of young players to perform. “I feel excited, and there is definitely some kind of pressure, especially as I am trying to match up to the achievements of my seniors who have retired,” said the 19-year-old, who represented Singapore at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. “They were top players, and deserved the women’s singles spots ahead of me at the past editions of the SEA Games. But now, it is my turn to do something great.” Others like national men’s water polo player Sean Ang, who is one of the youngest in the 13-strong squad, are also preparing for the big battle ahead. The 19-year-old — who dropped out of Anglo-Chinese Junior College in September 2013 to focus on training for the Myanmar Games — will head to Japan next month for a training camp with the national men’s water polo team. The men’s team is gunning for its 26th consecutive title at this year’s SEA Games, and Ang wants to rewrite history alongside team veterans such as Eugene Tan, Paul Tan and Loh Zhizhi. “It is not a given that we will win the SEA Games title every time, said Ang, who is now studying at the Singapore Institute of Management. “Every player is very important on the team in the defence of our title this year on home soil. I don’t want to make any mistakes in the pool in front of my family and friends, and I want to get a few points for the team.” With a number of young athletes expected to don Singapore colours in June, Nicholas Fang, Chef de Mission for the Singapore contingent at the 2015 SEA Games, said that it is crucial for athletes, including younger ones, to prepare themselves mentally. “It will be a first for virtually all of Team Singapore this year (to compete in the SEA Games on home soil), given that the last home Games were so long ago,” he said. “It’s been a factor I personally feel will have the biggest impact on the team, and I have spoken with the team from the Singapore Sports Institute to see how we can help our athletes prepare mentally ahead of the Games.” Ang is confident that he will cope well with the pressure, as he told TODAY: “I don’t think younger athletes feel the pressure any different from the older ones, but of course, those with age and experience know how to deal with pressure better.”
SEA Games: In Dad's footsteps, hopefully Lim Say HengThe New PaperWednesday, Apr 22, 2015 SEA Games build up interview with national badminton players Derek Wong and Jason Wong, who are siblings, as well as their father Wong Shoon Keat, who won the 1983 men's singles The old Singapore Badminton Hall along Guillemard Road has been where several pages of Singapore history were written. The 1955 and 1958 Thomas Cup Finals were held there while, in 1962, it was the vote-counting station for a referendum on the formation of Malaysia. The Rolling Stones rocked the hall so hard in 1965 that a wall, erected for the concert, collapsed. It was also the scene where Wong Shoon Keat clinched the Republic's first men's singles gold medal at the South-east Asia (SEA) Games in 1983. Thirty-two years later, his son, Derek, will attempt to perform a similar giant-killing feat when the 28th SEA Games is held here, from June 5 to 16. For Derek and his three brothers, the Singapore Badminton Hall was their playground - they would hang out at their father's shop, which was located within the premises. Speaking to The New Paper recently, Shoon Keat, 58, said: "After I finished my career, Mr Ong (Teng Cheong, ex-Singapore Badminton Association president) asked me what I wanted, I told him that I didn't have much education, so I wanted to open a badminton shop to survive and help coach some young shuttlers. "I was there for more than 10 years and all my children grew up there - they were there every day and, if they had nothing to do, they would take a racket and play with their friends while I coached." While his eldest and third sons Shawn and Jamie played badminton only at school level, second son Derek showed interest in turning pro after his 'O' levels at Montfort Secondary School. Now 26, Derek said: "At 16, I wasn't really of the right maturity to make that kind of decision on my own. I needed to speak to my parents, my school and anyone who had been through such a path." He did eventually turn pro, even though dad and mum had their misgivings - in terms of education, National Service and the level of competition here. Derek's journey hasn't been easy at all. He lost ground while in National Service with the police and, later, just when he thought he could tap on the experience of seniors Ronald Susilo and Kendrick Lee, the duo retired in 2010. Derek has famously claimed the scalps of stars like Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat, but consistency has been his biggest problem. BREAKTHROUGH He did make a breakthrough last year when he won a men's singles silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Singapore's first medal at the event. But the 2011 SEA Games bronze-medallist knows that the SEA Games this June will almost certainly be tougher, with world-class shuttlers from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam in the mix. Said Derek: "I'm more motivated for this SEA Games and we have home ground advantage, we should be in a better position to do well. "When other players play in their own countries, they are stronger. We should be, too; we shouldn't be scared." He will be joined, for the first time, by youngest brother Jason, and the battleground has moved to the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Doubles player Jason, 18, said: "I can see for myself the hardship that my dad and brother have gone through in the sport and, instead of discouraging me, their stories helped me prepare mentally to make that next step up. "I know it will not be easy and I don't know when I can do it, but I will work hard and do my best to excel in the sport. "I want to taste the glory that my brother and dad tasted, and even to surpass them." Just months before the 1983 South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Singapore, Wong Shoon Keat and his teammates from the Singapore badminton squad were hitting the beach at East Coast almost every day, doing sprints and lifting weights under the watchful eye of coach Fu Hanxun. Three months before the Games in June, Fu was drafted in from China on a six-month contract, and one of his first moves was to improve the fitness of the Singapore shuttlers. Wong, now 58, recalled: "It was my first time training full-time for the Games, I was then working for my uncle at his printing company and took three months unpaid leave to train. "The coach said, 'you've got skill, but your strength and body conditioning is no good'... So my programme was 70 to 80 per cent focused on physical training." One suspects no one in the current team preparing for the 28th SEA Games here in June will be able to identify with the squad from 1983 and how they got ready for their battle. Wong had a lorry back then, and transported weights to the beach where the team, including his future wife Irene Lee, would sweat it out under Fu. "This training was something very new to us, we did weights on the beach, we sprinted on the beach and even did shadow badminton there. "But we all enjoyed doing it," he said. In 1983, the SEA Games badminton competition was held at the old Singapore Badminton Hall along Guillemard Road. Indonesian badminton legend Icuk Sugiarto, the newly minted world champion, was the overwhelming favourite then, but dropped out of the men's singles tournament because of flu. Wong beat Thailand's Sarit Pisudchaikul in his semi-final to meet Indonesia's Hastomo Arbi in the men's singles final on June 5. Wong remembers the Singapore Badminton Hall being filled to the brim. Among them were the late E.W. Barker, the-then Singapore National Olympic Council president, and the late Ong Teng Cheong, the SBA president who went on to become the Republic's fifth President. Said Wong: "Before the match (E.W. Barker) met me in the conference room and said, 'I hope you're not tensed up by all the officials here. We are all here to support you and all you have to do is to give your best'. "I just told myself to play a good game." He lost the first set - under the old rules - 9-15, before storming through the second 15-2 to set up the rubber. Wong allowed an 11-6 lead in the third game to evaporate for the scores to stand at a tense 11-11. He moved to a 14-11 lead before nerves got to him again. In his haste to win Singapore's first men's singles gold, he sent powerful smashes out after holding serve three times, before Hastomo sent the shuttle into the net. A tired Wong could only lift his arms to celebrate. He said: "They were all around - my parents, uncles, brothers and, most importantly, my wife, whom I wasn't married to yet but someone I really cared for and treasured a lot." THE TEAM l Derek Wong l Loh Kean Yew l Sean Lee l Ryan Ng Zin Rei l Danny Bawa Chrisnanta l Chayut Triyachart l Hendra Wijaya l Terry Hee l Loh Kean Hean l Jason Wong l Chen Jiayuan l Liang Xiaoyu l Yeo Jia Min l Vanessa Neo l Shinta Mulia Sari l Tan Wei Han l Elaine Chua l Grace Chua l Ong Ren-ne l Crystal Wong This article was first published on April 20, 2015. Get The New Paper for more stories
SEA Games: Singapore to send its biggest track and field contingent of 74 athletes Published on Apr 17, 2015 7:19 PM Singapore's sizeable contingent will feature a number of debutants, including marathoner Soh Rui Yong. -- PHOTO: ST FILE By Jonathan Wong Singapore will send its biggest-ever track and field contingent of 74 athletes to the SEA Games on home soil in June. The squad of 41 male and 33 female athletes will compete in 44 of the 46 available events during the June 5-16 Games, with Singapore only absent in the men and women's hammer throw events. At the last Games in Myanmar in 2013, the Republic's 25-men team returned home with two golds, three silvers and three bronze medals. It is a haul that Singapore Athletics president Tang Weng Fei is confident of equalling, and even surpassing, at the National Stadium.
Sailing set for biggest show in Games history High performance coach Terence Koh (right) is confident the Republic’s sailors such as Bernie Chin and Jodie Lai will deliver at the SEA Games in June. Photo: Tristan Loh Sailors focused on delivering medal haul despite uncertainty of 5 events By Shanjayan Muniappan Published: 4:16 AM, April 20, 2015 SINGAPORE – Five sailing events may be scrapped from the schedule of the 28th SEA Games that Singapore will host from June 5 to 16, but it will not stop the Lion City from organising the biggest sailing regatta in the 56-year-old history of the biennial multi-sport event. Sailing is expected to play a big part in Team Singapore’s gold medal hopes and they could be dented if fewer than the planned 20 events eventually take place. For a race to run at the Games, the rules require the participation of at least four National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Organiser Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) has not revealed the affected events, but reports have indicated they include the women’s 470, Under-19 Laser Radial, 49er FX, Laser Radial team and men’s Laser Standard team. Among other sports, floorball, women’s shot put, 400m hurdles and men’s javelin have also not attracted the minimum number of participating NOCs. With less than two months to go, the door is still open for various NOCs to submit entries to keep them on the calendar, said SINSOC executive committee chairman Lim Teck Yin last week. The sailing competition is scheduled to have eight more events than at Myanmar two years ago and Singapore Sailing Federation (SSF) chief executive officer Tan Wearn Haw still expects a good show even if it is trimmed down by events that do not have enough participants. “Our counterpart NOCs are looking to field more entries and we are also waiting for the update,” said Tan. “In any case, it will already be the largest sailing event in SEA Games history. For the events that have not met the minimum number of NOCs, I am looking forward to at least one more country to send entries for them to take place.” But it could be a blow for at least two of the Republic’s best gold medal prospects, Savannah Siew and Bernie Chin, if their respective women’s 470 and men’s under-19 laser radial races are excluded. Both said they were advised by the SSF “there was nothing to worry” and have kept their noses to the grindstone to prepare for their races. Said Bernie, who won gold in the Byte CII Class at last year’s Youth Olympics in Nanjing: “Regardless of the outcome, I will still be focused on training as there are many other events this year.” If the 15-year-old competes, he expects stiff challenge from Malaysian and Thailand sailors, but relishes the opportunity to hone his skills on local waters. “They have strong sailors coming from there and I am sure that there will be intense competition at the Games. What matters more is what I learn from competing, what experience I gain to make myself a better sailor,” he added. Siew, who won gold at last year’s Asian Games in Incheon and at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar, thirsts to finally have home support after years of competing overseas. But the 18-year-old, who will have Amanda Ng as partner in the 470 event, is cautious about winning her race: “We hope to do our country proud. It definitely helps knowing our winds and waters better than the other competitors. But we definitely cannot over rely on this small advantage because our competitors will be able to figure out the conditions too.” Although Thailand are always a threat, high performance coach Terence Koh is confident the Republic’s sailors will deliver. “We don’t have a specific medal tally aim,” Koh told TODAY. “It is easy for me to say I want 20 medals, but I am not the one sailing, the sailors are and they have been training hard and I have confidence in their abilities to perform and do us proud. “Our strengths are quite varied throughout all the race classes and we don’t have a consistent arch-rival that is always up against us.”
Feng, Yu fight to get fit for SEA Games TODAY National paddler Feng Tianwei participating in a game with a student of... [More] National paddlers Feng Tianwei and Isabelle Li (in blue) with students... Paddlers receiving treatment for knee, back injuries and hope to make the team By Adelene Wong Published: 4:17 AM, April 24, 2015 SINGAPORE — Since 2011, Singapore’s women’s table tennis team has captured every gold on offer at the SEA Games, but their complete dominance when the Republic hosts the biennial event from June 5 to 16 is not all assured with injuries sustained by key players. World No 4 Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu(16) have been carrying knee and back injuries, respectively, since last year’s Asian Games and have yet to make a full recovery. Although doctors and physiotherapists are working to get them fit on time, there is no guarantee that they will be in top condition by the time the women’s competition starts four days before the Games’ official opening on June 5. With Thailand and Indonesia posing threats to Singapore’s dominance, women’s head coach Jing Junhong is concerned about the pair’s injuries so close to the Games. “Of course, I am worried,” said Jing on the sidelines of the national paddlers’ visit to the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled (MINDS) at Woodlands Garden School yesterday. “But what we can control, we will try to control, so we leave it to the doctors. The pair are also very experienced players and know how to manage and monitor the state of their injuries. These are long-standing injuries and are very hard to go away completely.” Both are scheduled to play in the team and double events, but 28-year-old Feng, and Yu, 25, have also been entered for the singles and mixed doubles, respectively. Feng, who fought through pain at the Asian Cup in Jaipur, India, and beat top seed Liu Shiwen to break China’s eight-year hold in the women’s singles, said she is “fighting a battle” against her injury. “I need to take care of it and not let it create problems for me during competition days,” she said. “My knee keeps acting up during training and it is painful. So I will have to make sure it gets better before the SEA Games.” High-performance manager Eddy Tay is also hoping the pair will feature in the team, but if they fail to make the cut, he said World No 49 Lin Ye, Zhou Yihan (No 65) and rising young star Isabelle Li would have to step up and take over their events. Said Tay: “We are taking good care of them, including others with minor injuries, such as men paddlers Gao Ning (shoulder) and Yang Zi (back). We are confident they will be able to play in the Games. “Tianwei, for example, is reducing her training load and doing more strength and conditioning training instead. Right now, we don’t want to think about these things as we gear up for the Games.” Despite the injuries, it’s all systems go in the women’s preparations in their effort to dominate the sport on home soil. National paddler Li, 20, who competed at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) here in 2010, said competing in front of Singaporeans had prepared her better for this SEA Games. “At the YOG, I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “What has changed for me since then is my ability to take failure better. I used to get frustrated with myself more easily. Now, I constantly look for ways to improve.” Addded Feng: “The pressure is definitely there. People’s expectations of the Singapore national paddlers are high and the attention given to us may be higher than to other sports. “For some of our younger players, they have also played at the SEA Games and, as long as we carry out our plans, we can get a good result.” The nine-strong squad will travel to Suzhou, China, on Sunday to compete in the World Table Tennis Championships before June’s SEA Games.
SEA Games: Stunning closing ceremony in store, medals unveiled Published on Apr 27, 2015 1:29 PM The 28th SEA Games medals, which were designed by Joys Tan. Local and international artistes will team up for the SEA Games closing ceremony on June 16 as the the Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) revealed its plans on Monday for the Games finale. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN By Chua Siang Yee Local and international artistes will team up for the SEA Games closing ceremony on June 16 as the the Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) revealed its plans on Monday for the Games finale. Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten and local acts Tay Kewei, The Sam Willows and The Steve McQueens are some of the artistes who will perform at the National Stadium. Singsoc also unveiled the medals for the biennial meet, where a total of 1,327 medals across 402 events from 36 sports are there to be won. The medals, measuring 80mm in diameter and weighing 183g each, are designed by Joys Tan, a designer from national sports agency Sport Singapore. Spectators at the closing ceremony will also receive a commemorative supporter's medallion, which can be found in their funpack.Singsoc's creative director for show-opening and closing ceremony Beatrice Chia-Richmond said: "The 28th SEA Games will be a time to not just profile the achievements and efforts of our homegrown athletes, but to celebrate the new stories and relationships forged through the Games with our friends from the region. "Aside from being a visually stunning ceremony, the audience can expect elements of a great party - great music in the form of a mini concert and also exclusive performances by leading global DJ Ferry Corsten." A special collection of stamps, dubbed the 28th SEA Games stamps, will go on sale from June 5.
Fans drum up support for Team Singapore By Adelene Wong, TODAY POSTED: 29 Apr 2015 07:00 TODAY reports: With only over a month to the SEA Games, the Singapore South-east Asian Games Organising Committee are hopeful of attracting more fans to the box office, while National Sports Associations are also playing their part. File photo of Singapore's Joseph Isaac Schooling. (AP/File) SINGAPORE: Swimming sensation Joseph Schooling is set to light up the OCBC Aquatic Centre in his nine gold-hunt at the 28th South-east Asian Games, and the lure of watching one of the Republic’s biggest names in the flesh has got local fan Lorinne Kon breaking the piggy bank for tickets to the competition from Jun 6 to 11. Kon, 49, has spent at least S$600 on tickets to swimming, table tennis and gymnastics in the hope that her two daughters and son - aged eight, ten and 12 respectively - will be inspired by the achievements of Team Singapore’s athletes. The family of five attended the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held here in 2010, and Kon is looking forward to reliving the experience at the SEA Games. “It is not often that a multi-sport event is right here at our doorstep,” said Kon. “Many of the national athletes are role models for my kids. Joseph (Schooling) is a very ambitious person, works hard, and his family has sacrificed a lot of him. There are a lot of values that all of us can learn.” Another fan, Wani Razali, bought her ticket to the opening ceremony before it was fully sold out last week, and she plans to catch football, swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo. “I just want to enjoy the atmosphere of the SEA Games,” she said. “I’m really excited about watching regional footballers like Thai players Kroekrit Thaweekarn and Charyl Yannis Chappuis, and the Philippines’ James and Phil Younghusband because they are good-looking and entertaining on the field.” With only over a month to the SEA Games, the Singapore South-east Asian Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) are hopeful of attracting more fans like Kon and Wani to the box office. SINGSOC executive committee chairman Lim Teck Yin revealed on Monday (Apr 27) that ticket sales for most sports have crossed the 70 per cent mark, with others such as sepak takraw at the 50 per cent mark. Sports such as table tennis, judo, and rugby, which are hosted at larger venues, have sold about 20 to 30 per cent of their tickets. About 790,000 tickets have gone on sale since February, with 18 out of the 36 sports open to the public for free. National Sports Associations (NSAs) are also getting in the act as they boost their efforts to attract more people to the competition venues. The Singapore Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) has taken to social media to spread the word on the boxing competition at Singapore Expo. “We have the MRT so I think it is not as inaccessible as others may think,” said SABA president Syed Abdul Kadir. “Boxing is not the only sport taking place at the Expo. If there are shuttle buses for fans, that will be very good as well.” A majority of the sailing events will be held in the waters off the National Sailing Centre at East Coast Park, and the Singapore Sailing Federation (SSF) have come up with innovative ways to make the sport more spectator-friendly. SEA Games volunteers have been trained to provide race commentary for the sailing regatta, and SSF general manager Chung Pei Ming said they hope “it will help more people to have a better understanding of the sport and its rules, which can be technical and difficult to comprehend”. “The medal races of the events will also be held closer to shore to make it more exciting. There will also be double points for the last race, and it will be a shorter race at 30 minutes.” Tickets for the highly anticipated football matches will only go on sale on May 6, and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is working with various partners to draw crowds to the stadiums. “We have been working closely with SINGSOC on ticketing and fan engagement activities for the upcoming SEA Games football matches,” said Gerard Wong, FAS marketing and communications director. “We have already started engaging our stakeholders and partners ... and our sponsors so that they can plan for bulk ticket purchases, and fan group activities."
Shooters target six golds David LeeThe New PaperWednesday, Apr 29, 2015 From left to right: Wesley Leong, Wong Ting Wei and Royce Chan. These 3 athletes will be taking part in the 10m air rifle men's category. The Singapore Shooting Association unveiled its SEA Games squads, as well as giving a pre-Games briefing to the media. Even with as many as 10 debutants in their team, the Singapore Shooting Association (SSA) has set a bold target of six gold medals from 26 events. At a media briefing at the National Shooting Centre, SSA vice-president and high performance chief Soo Kwok Seng revealed that there are also nine shooters in the South-east Asia (SEA) Games squad who are under 23. This represents a healthy mix of seasoned campaigners, such as 47-year-old pistol hotshot Gai Bin, and up-and-coming stars such as 16-year-old rifle expert Martina Veloso, who already has an ISSF World Cup (Germany) title under her belt. Another young gun, 18-year-old Tessa Neo, holds the national record for the 10m air rifle women's event with a score of 419.5 set last year. Soo said: "We hope that we can win about six gold medals. That would be more than the last SEA Games, and more than what other countries win on average, given there are 26 events. "Every shooter we send out must compete for gold. Be it in his or her individual events or in the team events, he or she must try to contribute. "We have some young shooters and some are capable of giving us a pleasant surprise. This is the effort of the association over the last five years. "Athletes will grow old one day. Youth is the future of any sport. We expect them to deliver. Nobody is going to a major Games just for experience." Best Haul The shooters achieved their best SEA Games haul in Korat in 2007, when they took home eight golds, six silvers and six bronzes. While they also did well in Vientiane in 2009 with six golds, five silvers and four bronzes, they have been unable to replicate their sterling form since, with just a combined total of two golds, five silvers and three bronzes in 2011 and 2013. Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have also improved by leaps and bounds. However, Singapore's shooters will have home-ground advantage this year, as they have been training at the Games shooting venues at the National Shooting Centre and Safra Yishun. Also, in addition to the usual pistol, rifle, trap and skeet events, the SSA has introduced the precision pistol competition, which is not an Olympic event, but has swiftly gained popularity round the world in recent years (see S14). This new event offers four gold medals and Team Singapore intend to profit from that. While Soo acknowledged all these positives, he also backed his shooters to make use of the SEA Games to shoot for the Olympics. He said: "In every sport, the pinnacle of an athlete's career is to take part in an Olympics. "The SEA Games is a stepping stone, a preparation for upcoming major international meets where we aim to get the quota for next year's Olympics." We expect them to deliver. Nobody is going to a major Games just for experience. - SSA vice-president and high performance chief Soo Kwok Seng, on the young shooters in the squad (above).
SEA Games to field RC car for athletics events By Nadia Jansen Hassan POSTED: 04 May 2015 21:13 The 1:5 scale Volvo XC90 can collect javelins, hammers and discuses from the field of play and return them back to the start line. The RC car measuring 90cm by 45cm and weighing at 15 kg will be used to collect javelins, hammers and discuses. (Photo: Nadia Jansen Hassan) SINGAPORE: The Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) and Swedish luxury carmarker Volvo on Monday (May 4) unveiled a special remote controlled (RC) car that will be used during the 28th South East Asian Games (SEA Games) Athletics events. The 1:5 scale version of the Volvo XC90, measuring 90cm by 45cm and weighing at 15kg, will zip around the field during the Games to collect javelins, hammers and discuses from the field of play and return them back to the start line. “It reduces manpower requirements, and allows our officials time to prepare for the next throw, speeding up the interchanges between athletes,” SINGSOC Chief of NOC and Sport Bob Gambardella said. Retired national sprinter C Kunalan, now the Vice-President of Training and Selection with the Singapore Athletic Association, said the remote-controlled car also enhances the athlete's preparedness. "He or she doesn't have to wait too long for the equipment to come back. They don't have to wait for the throwing area to be cleared before they can do their warm up throws or their next attempt, so it saves a lot of time," he said. SINGSOC and Volvo also said that additional features have been added to the car, such as having special brackets with clips installed to hold javelins in place and a padded holding area with cut outs for the hammer and discus. The RC car is capable of reaching up to a speed of 100km/hour and covering up to 4,000m a day. Its design mimics that of of the XC90 which has T-shaped headlights inspired by Thor's hammer. The cars will be operated by trained volunteers including those who have taken up RC cars as a hobby. SEA GAMES ATHLETICS CAPTAIN ANNOUNCED Separately, national sprinter Kenneth Khoo was announced as Captain of the SEA Games 2015 athletics contingent. He has been a national team member since 2000, and one lesson he hopes to impart is how to manage crowd pressure. "You are running a race, probably one of the biggest races of your life. The fans are screaming; there is a lot going on in the atmosphere. Sometimes you have the ability, but you are so overawed by all these nerves that you can't perform. I'm hoping to just teach them to calm down, how to negotiate through these challenges," he said. Singapore Athletics also unveiled a new athletics kit on Monday. It took four months to design.
SEA Games: Singapore to field record 748 athletes POSTED: 05 May 2015 16:40 UPDATED: 05 May 2015 19:31 A total of 748 athletes will represent Singapore for the SEA Games in June, surpassing 1993’s 483-strong contingent. cPresident Tony Tan Keng Yam meets swimmers representing Singapore at this year's SEA Games on Apr 15, 2015. (Photo: Elizabeth Goh) SINGAPORE: Singapore's contingent for the 28[SUP]th[/SUP] SEA Games will be its biggest ever with 748 athletes, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) announced in a press release on Tuesday (May 5). SNOC Secretary-General Chris Chan said this surpasses Team Singapore's 483-strong contingent at the 1993 SEA Games. “We wish all athletes and officials the best in their final preparations and we are looking forward to fly Singapore’s flag high at the upcoming SEA Games on home ground,” he said. The 748 athletes – together with 203 officials – will represent Singapore in a total of 36 sports. Aquatics and athletics make up the largest groups of Team Singapore sportsmen, with 75 and 73 athletes taking part respectively. Among the notable names representing Singapore this year - Mok Ying Rong (women's 10,000m), Shanti Pereira (women's 100m and 200m) and Dipna Lim Prasad (women's 400m hurdles). The latter two will also compete in the women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay races. Singapore's top paddlers Feng Tian Wei, Isabelle Li, Clarence Chew and Yang Zi are also competing. Swimmer of the Year Joseph Schooling will participate in the men's 50m and 100m freestyle, as well as the men's 50m and 100m butterfly races. And swim queen Tao Li will fly the Singapore flag in the women's 50m and 100m butterfly, as well as the women's 50m and 100m backstroke. The Team Singapore flag presentation ceremony will take place next Tuesday evening at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Square.
5 facts about the SEA Games medals https://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/5-facts-about-the-sea-games-medals-094950174.html By Lester Nyan | Yahoo Newsroom – 22 hours ago A representative from Eng Leong Medallic Industries holds up the SEA Games medals. The 28th SEA Games is just a month away. As athletes gear up for the games, we take a look at some of the facts and inspiration behind the medals that they will be gunning for. 1. The medals are manufactured locally The victory medals are manufactured in Singapore by Eng Leong Medallic Industries Pte Ltd. 2. A total of 1,327 medals will be up for grabs Gold, silver, and bronze medals from the 402 events across 36 sports will be prepared for the 28th SEA Games. Each medal measures 80mm in diameter, and weighs in at 183g. 3. The silhouette at the centre of the front face is a representation of a winning athlete With arms raised in jubilation, the athlete is supposed to symbolise the celebration of the human spirit and sportsmanship. 4. The four sporting icons reflect the diversity of sports featured in the SEA Games From land and water-based sports to individual and team sports, the four icons also stands for the combination of strength, focus, grace and skills. 5. The reverse face features the iconic Singapore Sports Hub As an iconic Singapore landmark, as well as the venue for some of the SEA Games events, the Singapore Sports Hub is engraved to represent itself as a catalyst for the progress of sport in the region.
The SEA Games cauldron is awesome, and here's why https://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/the-sea-games-cauldron-is-awesome--and-here-s-why-065502177.html By Y! | Yahoo Newsroom – 1 hour 10 minutes ago Yahoo Newsroom - 28th SEA Games cauldron at the Sports Hub. Photo: Hannah Teoh The icon of the 28th SEA Games was unveiled at the Sports Hub on 6 May. Located outside the National Stadium, the 19.2m stainless steel cauldron will hold the SEA Games flame for the duration of the Games. Here are five facts about the SEA Games Cauldron. 1. Locally designed The cauldron was designed by Singapore’s DP Architects, the firm which also designed the Sports Hub. The DNA-inspired design represents connecting nations, communities and individuals together in a unity of aspirations. 2. Flame can withstand the rain The flame won’t be extinguished even if it experiences Singapore’s torrential rain, and will remain lit for the duration of the Games. “This cauldron is built to withstand our torrential rain in Singapore. We’re very confident that the flame will remain lit even under rain conditions,” said Colonel Lawrence Lim, Chairman of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (OCC). The LPG gas-powered flame can also go as high as four metres during the Opening Ceremony. 3. SEA Games countries represented There are 11 segments in the cauldron to represent the 11 participating nations - Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Thailand, Brunei and Cambodia. 4. Tech elements There are QR codes engraved in the base of the cauldron. Members of the public can scan them and find out information about the SEA Games. 5. Light-up shrouded in mystery The cauldron’s flame will be lit in a “dignified and majestic way”. Colonel Lim says the flame will be transported across the Kallang Basin but declined to elaborate how, or who would be the final torch bearer. You’ll just have to stay tuned on 5 June.
By Abhishek Ravikrishnan POSTED: 09 May 2015 19:07 Using an accreditation pass, volunteers will be able to catch all the events at the SEA Games for free, subject to seat availability. A volunteer collecting their uniform and accreditation pass from Minister Lawrence Wong. (Photo: Abhishek Ravikrishnan) SINGAPORE: Volunteers for this year's SEA Games will be able to catch all the events at the Games for free, subject to seat availability. "We don't want them to just be involved in volunteering in the Games, but we certainly want them to support Team Singapore first and foremost,” said SINGSOC Executive Committee’s Chief for Games and Manpower Engagement Rostam Umar. "When they are not on duty, we want them to go to the venues and support the team (Singapore) and even support the opposing team - our neighbours. “That's what we want them to do. And we've given them the facility, to actually go down to the venues using their accreditation passes.” Volunteers began collecting their uniforms and accreditation at the F1 Pit Building on Friday (May 8). The distribution exercise will end on Monday. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong was also at the event to help out. About 17,000 people have signed up as volunteers to help out at the Games.
Synchronised swimmers pull out the stops in a bid to sweep all five events Lim Say HengThe New PaperSunday, May 10, 2015 The Singapore synchronised swimming team, with an average age of just 16.3 years, competing in the team free combination final at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on 24 June 2014. On the two occasions synchronised swimming has featured at the South-east Asia (SEA) Games, Singapore returned home without gold in the bag. But that statistic has not stopped this year's team from targeting all five gold medals on offer at the OCBC Aquatic Centre next month. Singapore will host the biennial SEA Games for the first time in 22 years from June 5 to 16, and much of the focus will be on the powerful swimming team, who are expected to dominate at the OCBC Aquatic Centre. But the synchronised swimmers also want some of the limelight and, speaking to The New Paper recently, a bullish national coach Maryna Tsimashenka said: "The Malaysians say they want only the duet golds, but we want to win all the golds. "It is the attitude that all athletes should have - to aim to win." The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) - which oversees synchronised swimming - has spared no effort in trying to achieve the ambitious goal. While the team prepared for a year in the lead-up to the 2011 event - the last time synchronised swimming was offered at the Games - preparations began much earlier this time around. A 15-strong training squad were formed in February last year and it was cut down to 12. Training hours were eventually doubled to around 40 hours a week, with three centralised training camps already held. While the swimmers have previously bought their own costumes, which cost about $400 each, the SSA is footing the bill for this Games. Besides the pool sessions, other training components like dancing, acrobatics and psychology have been ramped up, as the team get ready for their drive for gold. The swimmers also successfully sought permission from their respective schools to be taken off lessons completely this month to prepare for the Games, according to SSA's acting vice-president (synchronised swimming), Tay Chin Joo. "We met with the swimmers and their parents at the beginning and told them what was expected if they were selected," she said. "We warned them that no one could go for any holidays after October last year until after the SEA Games, and they accepted it." DEFERMENT Two swimmers - Stephanie Chen and Crystal Yap - even deferred their studies completely for a year to focus on the SEA Games. Crystal, 19, was supposed to take her 'A' levels at Tampines Junior College last year, but postponed them till the end of this year, while Stephanie, 20, has delayed starting her university education for a year after completing her studies at Nanyang Junior College. While Stephanie says she had long intended to train full-time, it wasn't as straightforward for Crystal, her duet partner of six years. Said Crystal: "I was halfway through revising for my 'A' levels when the idea (of full-time training) came about in July. Part of me wanted to get the exams over and done with, but it also made sense to defer them to keep training. "I spoke to my teachers and parents and they gave me their blessings." The team train under the watchful eyes of Tsimashenka and her assistant Katsiaryna Kulpo practically every day, and have competed in meets like the French Open, the Japan Open and the South-east Asian Swimming Championships here last year, where they won four golds, compared to regional favourites Malaysia, who only won one. Captain Stephanie said: "Malaysia have been the powerhouses (in this region) for a long time, but we beat them here last year. "We know we cannot be complacent even with those results, but it motivates us to train harder to beat them again at the SEA Games this year. "It will be an honour to win our (discipline's) first SEA Games gold medal on home ground." The Malaysians say they want only the duet golds, but we want to win all the golds. It is the attitude that all athletes should have - to aim to win. - National coach Maryna Tsimashenka SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING When: June 2 to 4 Where: OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore Sports Hub (ticketed) Gold medals on offer: 5 Historical medal haul: 3 silvers, 1 bronze Did you know: This is only the third time synchronised swimming will be offered at the SEA Games. It made its debut in 2001 in Malaysia and last featured in Indonesia in 2011. Malaysia have won all seven gold medals in the aquatic discipline over the two SEA Games. The team: Lee Mei Shuang, Natalie Chen, Gwyneth Goh, Crystal Yap, Debbie Soh, Stephanie Chen, Geraldine Chew, Shona Lim, Miya Yong, Tay Aik Fen, Carolyn Rayna Buckle, Nadine Khor TNP's prediction: It is a sport that Malaysia have dominated for years, although Singapore won four golds to Malaysia's one at the South-east Asian Swimming Championships here last year.Sweeping all five golds could be a tad ambitious, but the team should be good for three golds.
