Asian Games: Singapore women swimmers defy odds to claim surprise medals The 4x100m medley relay teams from Hong Kong and Singapore embrace one another after finishing second and third respectively.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Roanne Ho benefited after a fellow swimmer was disqualified, leaving her second in the 50m breaststroke at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Centre in Jakarta. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Published Aug 24, 2018, 5:00 am SGT Nicole Chia cnicole@sph.com.sg JAKARTA • Three days ago, Roanne Ho was vomiting. At one stage, roughly seven times in 45 minutes. The 24-year-old was plagued with a stomach bug and unsure if she was in any shape to compete. Yesterday, the Singaporean defied the odds, the flu and her rivals to clinch the country's first Asian Games breaststroke medal. Ho's 31.23-second effort, a national record, had initially placed her third but she was then moved up to second after Japan's Miho Teramura was disqualified. Ho, who was sixth in the heats, said: "I feel like the term comeback queen for me is quite apt... I was quite thankful that I managed to be here (this morning). "I knew it was going to be close, but in the 50m anything can happen. I was just hoping to do my best and see what I could get out of it. "When I saw the three it was a pleasant surprise, then when I saw the two it was an even bigger surprise." AdChoices The 4x100m medley relay teams from Hong Kong and Singapore embrace one another after finishing second and third respectively. ST PHOTOS: KEVIN LIM She had previously struggled with injury, including a life-threatening collapsed lung in 2016. Competing in her third Asiad here, she attributed these results to hard work and a change in attitude. Roanne Ho benefited after a fellow swimmer was disqualified, leaving her second in the 50m breaststroke at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Centre in Jakarta. ST PHOTOS: KEVIN LIM "In 2014, I went there mostly as a participant. I never aimed for anything I think because none of us dared to dream that we would win a medal at the Asian Games," she said, adding that Joseph Schooling winning a medal of each colour at the previous edition in Incheon and her performance at the 2015 SEA Games led to greater self-belief. NEVER DARED TO DREAM In 2014, I went there mostly as a participant. I never aimed for anything I think because none of us dared to dream that we would win a medal at the Asian Games. "Coming here, it was like (I had) a new purpose - I didn't want to just be a participant or just a finalist." Asked how she felt upon watching the digits next to her name change from 3 to 2, Ho replied: "I was hoping there would be two DQs, then I become No. 1," before promptly bursting into laughter. Her casual remark turned to reality in the women's 4x100m medley relay when China and South Korea - who placed second and third respectively - were disqualified for illegal changeovers, bumping Hong Kong (4min 3.15sec) up to second and fifth-placed Singapore (4:09.65) to third. Japan won in a Games record of 3:54.73. The Republic's Hoong En Qi, Samantha Yeo, sisters Quah Jing Wen and Ting Wen whooped in celebration, sharing hugs with the Hong Kong team as the results were confirmed. Jing Wen, 17, said: "I don't think I've ever seen two teams or two swimmers disqualified in a heat or final and we just went out there and did our best, we had fun and I was just cracking some jokes to lighten the mood and that really happened. "It's a huge step forward. We did get our medal, not through preferable ways but it's definitely a step forward for our women's team." Ting Wen, 26, had taken off her medal after the victory ceremony and was about to keep it in the box provided. Then, she stopped. "You know what, I don't have a lot of these," she said. "I want to wear it for as long as I can. I kind of like the weight around my neck." Nicole Chia A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 24, 2018, with the headline 'Women defy odds to claim surprise medals'. Print Edition | Subscribe
Historic gold for Singapore's contract bridge men's team at Asian Games Singapore's contract bridge men's team made sporting history on Monday (Aug 27) by winning the gold medal in the event's debut at the Asian Games. (Photo: Facebook / Team Singapore) By Matthew Mohan 27 Aug 2018 07:37PM (Updated: 28 Aug 2018 09:26AM) The team beat Hong Kong 107-52 in the finals. (Photo: Facebook / Team Singapore) JAKARTA: Singapore's contract bridge men's team made sporting history on Monday (Aug 27) by winning the gold medal in the event's debut at the Asian Games, beating Hong Kong 107-52in the finals. The team, which consisted of Poon Hua, Loo Choon Chou, Zhang Yukun, Fong Kien Hoong, Desmond Oh and Kelvin Ong led their opponents from start to finish - edging the first segment 36-25, and scoring 73-35 in the second. Contract bridge player Loo Choon Chou in action. (Photo: Facebook / Team Singapore) En route to their gold medal, Singapore beat India 166 to 93.67 in the semi-finals on Sunday. Singapore contract bridge players compete in the men's team final. (Photo: Facebook / Team Singapore) This year marks the first time contract bridge has been included at the Asian Games. The sport featured at the 2011 SEA Games, also in Indonesia, where Singapore finished with one gold medal, five silvers and three bronzes. The gold medal takes Singapore's total medal tally at the Asian Games to three golds, four silvers and ten bronzes. Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ontract-bridge-mens-team-asian-games-10656954
Asian Games: Second silver for Singapore as Ferdous brings silat medal tally to five Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alauddin during a bout at the Asian Games. (Photo: SportSG) By Matthew Mohan 27 Aug 2018 11:37AM (Updated: 27 Aug 2018 04:05PM) JAKARTA: Singapore claimed its second silver medal in pencak silat at the Asian Games on Monday (Aug 27) after Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alauddin finished second in the the men’s Class I (85-90kg) finals. Ferdous, the older brother of world champion Sheik Farhan Sheik Alauddin, held his own against homeground favourite Aji Bangkit Pamungkas, before eventually losing 5-0. Before this, Ferdous triumphed over Malaysia’s Robial Sobri 5-0 in the semi-final on Sunday. This is the first time that silat has been included at the Asian Games as a medal sport, and Singapore have won a total of five medals in the sport so far in Jakarta - two silvers and three bronzes. Earlier on Monday, Nurzuhairah Yazid also finished second in the Artistic Women’s Tunggal (Singles) Finals. The 20-year-old ended the finals with 445 points. Indonesia’s Puspa Arumsari won gold, scoring 467 points, while the Philippines’ Cherry May Regalado took home the bronze with 444 points. Singapore's Nurzuhairah Yazid won the silver medal in the pencak silat artistic women's tunggal (singles) finals. (Photo: SportSG) “I feel really great, I know that I put in my best and already did my all,” she said. “I’m really satisfied with my performance. I was a little nervous but I didn’t let that overcome me. I kept my cool, just thought positive, I’ve trained hard and I really trust my process.” Singapore's three silat bronzes came from Nurul Shafiqah Mohd Saiful, Siti Khadijah Mohd Shahrem and Farhan. They clinched joint third-place finishes in the women’s Class B (50-55kg), women's Class C (55-60kg) and the men's Class J (90-95kg) respectively. Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...sheik-alauddin-singapore-medal-tally-10655880
Asian Games: Singapore clinch joint-bronze in sepak takraw after Malaysia defeat in semis Team Singapore lost out on a spot in the finals after losing to perennial powerhouse Malaysia. (Photo: Amir Yusof) By Amir Yusof @AmirYusofCNA 27 Aug 2018 05:04PM (Updated: 27 Aug 2018 05:22PM) PALEMBANG, Indonesia: Singapore clinched a joint-bronze medal in the sepak takraw men’s regu event on Monday (Aug 27) after losing 2-0 to Malaysia in the semi-final. The team of Muhammad Farhan Aman, Muhammad Afif Safiee, Muhammad Asri Aron, Jaal Asfandi and Mohamad Farhan Amran lost to Malaysia in straight sets at the Jakabaring Sports Centre. Singapore started the semi-final poorly, with captain Mohamad Farhan’s serves going astray on at least five occasions. The team lost the opening set 21-8, and Mohamad Farhan was subsequently removed from the team. Singapore's sepak takraw team did not have a good start to the semi-final against Malaysia. (Photo: Amir Yusof) Singapore rallied in the second set, with Muhammad Asri and Muhammad Farhan executing strong blocks, but Malaysia, who are perennial powerhouses in the sport, proved too strong and won the set 21-8. The bronze medal in Sepak Takwraw was Team Singapore's seventh in the sport at the Asian Games. (Photo: Amir Yusof) The bronze is Singapore’s seventh in sepak takraw at the Asian Games. Singapore has never managed a gold or silver medal in the sport at the Games. En route to the semis, Singapore lost to hosts Indonesia 0-2 but beat Philippines 2-1 and Pakistan 2-0 in the preliminary round. Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ingapore-malaysia-sepak-takraw-semis-10656786
Singapore's sailing duo assured of gold Kimberly Lim (right) and Cecilia Low are assured of gold in the women's 49erFX, which will be Singapore's fourth at this Asiad. TNP FILE PHOTO Singapore sailors Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low keep to same routine after securing 49erFX title Nicole Chia Reporting from JAKARTA Aug 30, 2018 06:00 am Kimberly Lim and Cecilia Low are already assured of an Asian Games sailing gold with one more day of racing left to go, but they will still spend today - a rest day - as they have the past six days. Waking up at 8am, going for breakfast, then heading to the Indonesia National Sailing Centre in Jakarta. Why? "Because racing is not over. We will keep the routine till the very end. It's out of respect for the competitors and organisers, to perform at our best till the end," said Lim, who turned 22 last Sunday. Low, 27, added: "It's our normal routine, we do our processes right and stick to what we do every day, even on a rest day." This routine is one of the reasons the pair are top of the 49erFX fleet with 13 nett points at the moment, ahead of China's He Xian and Yu Xuebin and India's Varsha Gautham and Sweta Shervegar (37 nett points each). The Singaporeans have been ranked top of the fleet at the end of each day since the races started last Friday, but keeping to the same routine every day has ensured that their concentration has not waned. They were top at the end of each day, but had not always led during the races, said Low, revealing that they managed to overtake their opponents. While the feeling of having won gold has not sunk in yet, Lim admitted: "It's a nice feeling because it's an Olympic class and we've been putting in a lot of effort... it was one of our goals for the year and we're very glad we achieved that." They have each won Asiad gold, albeit with different partners and in different classes. Low worked with Rachel Lee in the 420 two-person dinghy in 2010, and Lim with Savannah Siew in 2014 in the same category. Low also won silver in the 29er two-person dinghy with sister Priscilla in 2014. The duo believe another key reason for their success in Jakarta is their 34th-placed finish at the Aug 4-12 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, where they had been gunning for qualification for the 2020 Olympics. The top eight nations in each class at the World Championships would secure Olympic berths for the Tokyo Games. Said Low: "We learnt how each of us reacts to stress differently and how we could help each other bring our strengths out instead of pushing them away." Lim agreed: "Day by day and through each event, you learn a lot more about yourself and the dynamics of working in a team - how to be efficient and perform at your best. "There have been many learning points in our journey to Tokyo and I think (from) each regatta, there are great takeaways." They return to Singapore on Sunday but instead of taking a long break, they intend to go to the gym on Tuesday. They will then leave for Portugal in October for a training camp and regatta. In Lim's words: "That's sailing for you. Every day is a new day and new race, and (thinking this way) helps keep you focused and on the right track."
S’pore youth ice hockey team wins silver at SEA Youth Cup despite funding issues & fewer players\ https://mothership.sg/2018/09/hockey-ice-youth-medal/ Great job. By Nyi Nyi Thet | September 16, 2018 The Southeast Asian Youth Ice Hockey Cup ended recently, and Singapore’s National Youth team had a great run — coming away with the silver medal. Here’s what their journey to silver looked like: – a 6-1 victory over Indonesia, followed by – a 4-2 win over Malaysia. They lost to eventual champions Thailand 1-7, but came roaring back in a 8-4 victory over Philippines. This was good enough to secure a silver medal place for the team. Their journey to that silver medal was far from this smooth though. Tough road to Bangkok Singapore’s 11 main players constituted the smallest contingent in the tournament. For reference, a typical roster size for an ice hockey team, including substitutes, is usually 20 players. The relatively small size of the Singapore team was because several members had to drop out due to PSLE and GCE ‘N’ Levels. Even then, they put in their all, training up to 10 times a week leading up to the competition, at times ending training sessions past midnight. And according to MyactiveSG, those who made it all the way to Bangkok had to do it on their own dime as well. “All costs, including airfare and accommodation associated with the trip, are borne by the players and coaches themselves.” Tough road at home And flight tickets weren’t the only big ticket item the team was dealing with. The equipment, rental of ice rink for training and transport back after practices are funded entirely by the parents of the youth hockey team. And those expenses adds up. According to a giving.sg fundraiser page (we’ll tell you more about that later) set up by the team, this is how much it costs to provide an hour of time on ice for the team. S$520. Which is a lot. Trying — and failing — to raise money Things got so strenuous on the team financially that they set up a fundraiser on giving.sg to help defray the cost. And while there was a sizeable amount of money raised, it fell quite a way short of their target. Screenshot from giving.sg The campaign is now expired, and the funds were raised just to cover their overheads for the Youth Games. Despite all this, even before the tournament started, team coach Joewe Lam had this to say about the players’ motivations. “They have only one goal; to bring home a medal and glory to Singapore in this upcoming tournament.” And despite everything they had to put in, and sacrifice, that’s exactly what they did. Kudos.
Team Singapore net record medal haul at Asian Para Games Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ecord-medal-haul-at-asian-para-games-10824098 Team Singapore swimmer Toh Wei Soong at the 2018 Asian Para Games. (Photo: Singapore National Paralympic Council) 13 Oct 2018 07:56PM SINGAPORE: Singapore athletes won three golds, two silvers and five bronzes at the 2018 Asian Para Games held in Jakarta - its best result at the Games ever. Team Singapore ended the week ranked 16th out of 43 teams on the medal tally table. Its previous best record was at the 2014 Games held in Incheon with one gold, one silver and four bronzes. The three golds came from swimmers Toh Wei Soong, 20, and Yip Pin Xiu, 26. National swimmer Yip Pin Xiu at the 2018 Asian Para Games. (Photo: Team Singapore) Toh won two gold medals in the men's 50m freestyle S7 final and in the men's 100m freestyle S7 event. He also won a bronze in the men's 100m backstroke S7. Yip clinched a gold in the women's 50m backstroke S4 (1-4) and bronzes in two other events. The Boccia team of captain Nurulasyiqah Mohd Taha, Toh Sze Ning and reserve player Faye Lim and bowler Diane Neo won the two silver medals. Boccia players Toh Sze Ning, Nurulasyiqah Mohd Taha and Faye Lim won a silver medal in the mixed pair BC3 finals. (Photo: Singapore National Paralympic Council/Flona Hakim) Cyclist Emily Lee and her pilot Sarah Tan won a fifth bronze for Singapore in the women’s 72km road race, the first-ever Asian Para Games cycling medal for the country. Archer Syahidah Alim was also elected to the Asian Paralympic Committee's Athletes' Committee, the first Singaporean to run successfully for the role. "It is important for Singapore to be part of Athletes Commission, to continue to bring in more diverse representation, particularly for athletes in the Southeast Asian region," said Syahidah. The next Asian Games will be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province in 2022.
Asian Football | November 7, 2018 https://www.foxsportsasia.com/footb...tars-the-golden-generation-that-went-missing/ Singapore’s 2010 YOG Stars: The Golden Generation that went missing Kenneth Tan As the likes of Adam Swandi and Ikhsan Fandi prepare for their maiden AFF Suzuki Cup adventure, we track down the Golden Generation known as the YOG boys who should have been here… Fandi Ahmad has continuously stated that youth is the way forward for Singapore football. With that in mind, what happened to the supposed Golden Generation known as the YOG boys? The National Football Academy Class of 95 needs no introduction but none of them are involved in the senior squad as Singapore prepare to go into Suzuki Cup battle mode. Eight years ago, a talented bunch of 15-year-olds captured the imagination of Singaporeans by playing an attractive brand of football en route to a bronze medal at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) held in the Lion City. It was thought that many of them would go on to form the backbone of the senior Lions squad in the years to come, but none of the 18 were named in Fandi Ahmad’s 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup squad. Five of them are currently registered to Singapore Premier League (SPL) teams, but what about the rest? We track them down to see what they are doing… Fashah Iskandar Nicknamed “The Bear” for his imposing presence in between the sticks, Fashah was the undisputed no. 1 goalkeeper throughout that YOG campaign. His stock rose the following year as he put up a Man-of-the-Match performance against the Flamengo Under-15s in the 2011 Lion City Cup final. The 1.87m custodian was actually the first player amongst this batch to sign for Young Lions in 2013, but never made an appearance in his three years there before joining Tampines Rovers in 2016. He lasted just half a season with the Stags, before returning to Young Lions where he finally made his SPL debut later that year. He joined Warriors FC in 2018 and started in six out of 24 games in the recently-concluded SPL season.
Hamzah Fazil An agile goalkeeper with good reflexes, Fashah’s backup can count himself unlucky to be the only player from the 18-strong squad that never played a single minute throughout the YOG. He then featured regularly for the National Football Academy (NFA, now known as FAS Football Academy) Under-17s in 2012 and played for the Singapore Cubs (Under-19s) in the Prime League two years later, before joining Balestier Khalsa in 2017 upon completion of National Service (NS). However an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury ended his chances of involvement last year and he would tear the same muscle again in the off-season – prompting him to call time on his short-lived professional journey. Hamzah is now a technician at REC Solar, while still playing at the amateur level. Jeffrey Lightfoot A centre-back who reads the game well and has good physical attributes, Lightfoot was the Captain Marvel of that batch as he scored a vital headed equaliser to lead a famous 3-2 comeback win against Montenegro in the group stages. However he never made it onto the professional scene, although he did play for the nation till Under-19 level and even donned the armband during the 2014 AFC U19 Championship qualifiers. The defender then played for Warriors FC’s Prime League team for half a year in 2015 before enlisting for NS and did not get a contract with Young Lions despite training with them for the latter stages of 2016. Proceeding to complete a degree in communications, he is now coaching kids and also in charge of media and marketing communications at local football academy JSSL Singapore. Syazwan Radhi A robust centre-back who was unafraid to put in a challenge, Radhi complemented Lightfoot well at the heart of defence during the YOG, but missed the subsequent 2011 Lion City Cup due to a metatarsal injury along with the latter. He then recovered well enough to get a contract with Home United’s Under-18s in 2012 and was singled out as “one of the team’s most consistent performers” by coach Hairil Amin, but left the following mid-season and rejected an offer to join Tanjong Pagar United’s 2014 Prime League team due to a newfound hobby in cycling. Radhi’s passion now is firmly on two wheels as he targets a future as a professional track cyclist for Singapore in the near future.
Illyas Lee One of three players who was not selected for the 2009 Asian Youth Games (AYG), the energetic right-back fought his way back to be included for the YOG squad but was sent off in the 2-0 loss against Haiti the semi-finals – thus missing the 4-1 win over Montenegro in the bronze medal playoff. Lee then impressed as a centre-back in the 2011 Lion City Cup and remained in the national age-group set-up until joining Warriors’ Prime League in 2015. He then signed for Young Lions in late 2016, before making his SPL debut the following May and subsequently playing in the 2017 SEA Games as a midfielder. Reverting back to defence in 2018, he was an ever-present in Hougang United’s backline as he started in 20 out of 24 league games and is touted for a maiden Singapore call-up in the near future. Dhukhilan Jeevamani On Illyas’ opposite flank was Dhukhilan, who shone as a roving left-back in the opening few games but also impressed as a centre-back in the thrashing of Montenegro in the bronze medal playoff. He further proved his credentials by deputising well for Lightfoot in the heart of defence as team skipper during the 2011 Lion City Cup. The lanky defender joined Geylang International’s Prime League team in 2015 and got his first taste of professional action that May as he came on as a substitute for the senior team in a league game. He was promoted to the Eagles first team in 2016, but would leave for Young Lions in the mid-season transfer window due to lack of playing time. Missing the 2017 SEA Games due to an injury sustained two weeks before the tournament, he then enlisted for NS and is now a full-time national serviceman in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). A back-up to Dhukhilan, Irfan was given his chance in the bronze medal playoff against Montenegro and did not disappoint with a competent display at left back. Just like many others in this squad, he progressed through the ranks and was amongst those called up for the 2014 AFC U19 Championship qualifiers. He then played for Geylang’s Prime League in 2015, before making his SPL bow the following year with the Young Lions and played eight SPL matches before NS enlistment. He has since returned to the local developmental outfit during this mid-season, but has not gotten the clearance to feature in any games. The full-back recently represented the Singapore Selection squad for the Sultan’s Gold Cup in Malaysia, along with nine other Young Lions players.
Firdaus Sham Firdaus played just one game at the YOG, but it was an eventful one. Starting in place of the suspended Lee at right-back in the bronze medal playoff, he was summoned to play in the centre after just minutes into the affair due to Lightfoot coming off injured and eventually played a part in the big win over Montenegro. He then went on to play with the batch till Under-19 level, before joining Hougang United’s Prime League team in mid-2014. He was handed a spot on the bench in the Cheetahs’ final game of that SPL season, but did not manage to make an appearance. Firdaus went to Warriors’ Prime League team in 2015 before NS enlistment. He is now playing for Singapore Cricket Club in the National Football League (NFL) while working full-time as a trainer at Fitness First. Amirul Iskandar An aggressive and no-nonsense midfielder, Amirul played the role of ‘water carrier’ to perfection in that YOG campaign. He was then used sparingly during the 2011 Lion City Cup before playing for Tampines Rover’s Prime League team in 2013. He did made it to the Singapore Under-22 squad in 2015, before being part of Home’s Prime League team that won a Prime League and FA Cup double the following year. However a lack of offers saw him leaving the scene and he started playing footvolley – a sport that combines aspects of beach volleyball and football – under the recommendation of his uncle. Amirul recently represented Singapore in the fifth edition of the Asian Footvolley Championships, while working full-time with RedMart and doing a couple of other ad-hoc jobs. Sunny Ng An industrious worker who was always willing to put in the tackles and run to the ground, Ng shared midfield duties with Amirul during the YOG. Used off the bench in the 2011 Lion City Cup, he then made it to the NFA Under-18s in 2013 before becoming one of the earliest amongst the batch to quit the sport. He went on to further his studies in 2014 before enlisting for NS the following May. After serving the nation, he started to assist his father in a company called Ektar Engineering and Construction Enterprises – which does electrical services for residential, commercial and industrial places. Ng has since fully taken over the business since January 2018. Ammirul Emmran A neat midfielder with a great engine, Ammirul was one of the surprise starlets of that campaign – starting off by scoring a long-range humdinger within 11 seconds in the opening 3-1 win over Zimbabwe, before ending it by netting another two against Montenegro in the bronze medal playoff. His career has since taken a steady although unspectacular progression. He was the first player amongst the batch to feature in the SPL as he started in the opening game of the 2014 season for Young Lions. He played for the local developmental side for four years and was called up for the 2017 SEA Games squad, before joining Warriors FC in 2018. Ammirul started 18 out of 24 league games for the uniformed outfit, but have yet to net his first professional goal.
Brandon Koh A speedy and skilful left-footed player who was deployed as a right winger, Koh famously scored the winning goal in a memorable 3-2 upset of Montenegro in the group stages. He then played as a full-back in the 2011 Lion City Cup and played with the team till Under-19 level, before joining Geylang’s Prime League in 2015. His first SPL appearance finally came in 2016 when he started in a 2-1 away win over Home for the Eagles, but NS came calling thereafter. He then unfortunately tore his ACL while playing for SAFSA the following year and decided to call time on his short career. Currently working as a medical technician at National University Hospital (NUH), Koh is also going to pursue a degree in life science in the coming months. Jonathan Tan On Koh’s opposite flank was this fleet-footed winger with boyish good looks, who earned many admirers with his fearless running down the left wing. He then played an integral role in the Under-16s’ run to the final of the 2011 Lion City Cup, before opting to join Geylang’s Prime League in 2014 and made his SPL debut in the same year. Tan went on to join Young Lions in 2016 and was a regular starting member for Balestier Khalsa in 2017, before enlisting for NS. He is now playing for SAFSA in the NFL and is looking to return to professional football as he finishes serving the nation in August 2019. Bryan Neubronner Largely a bench warmer during the group stages, Neubronner was given his chance in the bronze medal playoff against Montenegro and duly delivered an assist as a right winger. He then played as a full-back in the 2011 Lion City Cup, before becoming the first and only person amongst the batch to play overseas as he signed an 18-month professional contract with German fourth division club SSV Ulm 1846 in 2013. He made six appearances and scored a goal for the club’s Under-19s, before returning to Singapore to serve the nation two years later. Losing his touch with the game during his NS stint as an officer prompted him to decide against pursuing a professional football career. Neubronner chose to focus on academics instead and is now into his final year as a Business Economics undergraduate at the University of Liverpool. Hanafi Akbar Already impressing at the AYG a year ago with a stunning long-range goal against Iran Under-14s, Hanafi further proved his credentials with two superbly-taken strikes to inspire the 4-1 thrashing of Montenegro in the bronze medal playoff. His nifty dribbling skills and playmaking ability earned him the nickname of “Gelek Prince” as he was the pin-up boy of that tournament. However his career has taken more twists and turns than a Hollywood movie ever since. Quitting the NFA Under-18 team in 2013 and being labelled a ‘rebel’ by some coaches, he was handed a chance by Balestier Khalsa and managed to make his SPL debut the following year despite signing on a Prime League contract. The left-footed attacker was then arrested for drug offences in 2015 and sentenced to a year’s imprisonment, but Balestier handed him a lifeline after his release by re-signing him for the 2017 season. It looked like he was on the right track again as he made the SEA Games squad last year along with Lee, Ammirul and Muhaimin, but he then started skipping club trainings thereafter and was released by the Tigers. Tampines Rovers swooped for his services in early 2018, but his habit of skipping training came back to haunt him as the Stags released him just a couple of months later. In May, he was hauled up by authorities for missing mandatory weekly urine tests and is said to be back in prison again.
Muhaimin Suhaimi Diminutive in stature but tenacious in his playing style, the electric forward won the heart of many fans and was affectionately nicknamed the ‘Chilli Padi’ as he scored three goals throughout the tournament and showed telepathic understanding with strike partner Hanafi. Fans would remember the then 1.55m forward holding off 1.92m Montenegrin centre-back Danilo Sarkic on a couple of occasions. Muhaimin then netted against the Flamengo Under-15s in the 2011 Lion City Cup, before becoming the first player amongst the batch to score in the SPL with a tap-in for the Young Lions during the 2014 season. He was also the only player amongst them all to have ever gotten a call-up to the senior national team during June 2017, although he failed to make an appearance due to injury. As the years went by, his height increased but his goals dwindled due to being deployed largely on the flanks. In 2018, Muhaimin joined Hougang and with the majority of his 17 appearances coming as a right-back. He has also since started his own business called Beefolio Studio. Syazwan Zin A physical and hardworking striker, Syazwan was used as an impact sub during the YOG and subsequently during the 2011 Lion City Cup. He continued with the team till Under-19 level, before joining Warriors’ Prime League in 2015 along with Lee, Lightfoot, Firdaus and Hazim. He then played for Hougang Prime League for a couple of months the following year before enlisting for NS. After ORD-ing in May, Syazwan laced up his boots again for NFL side Balestier United and is now interested to secure a professional contract next season. He will also start his Bachelor of Accountancy studies at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) in January 2019. Hazim Faiz Often berated by then Sports School coach Abdullah Noor for his poor positional sense and composure in front of goal back then, Hazim played supporting cast to the team’s success in the YOG. A year later, he improved enough to be the team’s main forward at the Lion City Cup and famously scored two goals against Juventus Under-15s – with one of those a well-taken strike from a tight angle. He then banged in 27 goals for the Under-18s to win the TNP Dollah Kassim award in 2013, before making his SPL debut with Warriors FC in 2015. He went on to score two goals in seven starts for Young Lions in 2016 then left midway through to serve the nation. Finishing his NS stint along with Syazwan a few months ago, he joined NFL side Tiong Bahru United and has scored his fair share of goals to help the team to win the Division One title. Hazim is now yearning for a return to the SPL in 2019.
53 Commonwealth Games, Asiad medallists earn $2.57m in MAP Awards; Schooling gets biggest share of $340k Singapore paddler Yu Mengyu receiving her award from (from left) Tote Board chief executive Fong Yong Kian, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Asian Games Chef-de-Mission Lee Wung Yew during the MAP Awards Presentation and Appreciation Dinner for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Asian Games at Raffles Town Club on Nov 13, 2018.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling receiving his award from (from left) Tote Board chief executive Fong Yong Kian; Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu; Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin; and Asian Games chef-de-mission Lee Wung Yew during the MAP Awards Presentation and Appreciation Dinner for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Asian Games at Raffles Town Club on Nov 13, 2018. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Joseph Schooling received a total of $340,000 for his two individual golds and two relay bronzes at the Asiad in Indonesia in August.PHOTO: ST FILE Published Nov 13, 2018, 8:42 pm SGT Nicole Chia cnicole@sph.com.sg SINGAPORE - A total of $2.57 million was awarded to 53 medallists for their achievements at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games during the Major Games Award Programme (MAP) Awards presentation on Tuesday (Nov 13) at Raffles Town Club. Rio Olympic champion Joseph Schooling was the biggest winner, receiving a total of $340,000 for his two individual golds and two relay bronzes at the Asiad in Indonesia in August. Paddler Yu Mengyu took home $136,000 for winning the Asiad singles bronze, as well as two Commonwealth Games golds (women’s doubles, mixed doubles) and two silvers (singles silver, women’s team). Singapore National Olympic Council president Tan Chuan-Jin announced a name change for the award, which was previously named the Multi-million Dollar Award Programme. "The new name will carry more relevance in these times, and better reflect the heights and scale of the events that our athletes reach," added Mr Tan, who is also Speaker of Parliament. Referring to the swimmers and contract bridge players' performance at the Asian Games, and the shooters' results at the Commonwealth Games, he said: "The banner year also brought some nice surprises in sporting performances. "The coming 18 months will be crucial to athletes and teams preparing to qualify and compete at the 2019 SEA Games and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. I wish you all the best in your endeavours." Singapore's athletes competed in four major Games this year for the first time - the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in February, the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April, the Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, and last month's Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 59 athletes who represented Singapore at the Commonwealth Games returned with five golds, two silvers and two bronzes, while the 264-strong Asiad contingent - Singapore's largest ever - concluded their outing with four golds, four silvers and 14 bronzes. The MAP rewards medallists of the SEA, Commonwealth, Asian and Olympic Games. Sponsored by the Tote Board Group comprising Tote Board, Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club, medallists receive cash in amounts based on the major Games event and medal won. It is mandatory for athletes to give a percentage of their MAP awards (50 per cent for the Commonwealth Games and 20 per cent for the Asian Games) to their respective national sports associations for the purposes of training and development.
Singapore medallists' reward scheme renamed Major Games Award Programme Chia Han Keong Editor Yahoo News Singapore 13 November 2018 Singapore shooter Martina Veloso won two golds at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. (PHOTO: AP/Tertius Pickard) The Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme (MAP), which rewards medallists of four major multi-sport events – SEA Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games – has been renamed Major Games Award Programme. The change was announced on Tuesday night (13 November) by Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) president Tan Chuan-Jin during an awards ceremony at Raffles Town Club for athletes who had won medals at this year’s Commonwealth and Asian Games. He said, “The well-known acronym that has been accepted by the community will stay. The new name will carry more relevance in these times, and better reflect the heights and scale of the events that our athletes reach.” Athletes gear up for busy 2019 Singapore shooter Martina Veloso, whose two-gold feat at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April earned her $60,000 ($40,000 for first individual gold, $20,000 for second) under the MAP, welcomed the name change. She said, “I think the new title sounds more meaningful. I think it’s better.” Like most elite athletes, Veloso is already gearing for the new year. It will be an important year for her sport, as the top shooters in the world begin their road to qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. And Veloso has set her sights on making her debut appearance at the Games. “Next year will be a busy year filled with World Cup shooting events and the Asian Shooting Championship, where they will be distributing the Olympic quotas,” the 19-year-old Nanyang Polytechnic student said. “I’m also graduating from the polytechnic in March, so between studies and shooting, there’s quite a lot of things to think about.” 53 medallists earned total of $2.57 million On Tuesday night, the SNOC and the Tote Board Group awarded 53 medallists with a total of $2.57 million. Singapore won five golds, two silvers and two bronzes at the Commonwealth Games; and four golds, four silvers and 14 bronzes at the Asian Games. For many of the athletes, the MAP rewards are confidence boosters as they search for further glory in 2019. Paddler Yu Mengyu was the biggest-earning female athlete on Tuesday night with $136,000 from winning two golds and two silvers at the Commonwealth Games as well as a silver in August’s Asian Games. The 29-year-old said in Mandarin, “The medals I won this year gave me a big confidence boost, especially since I had struggled with injuries for a couple of years. I definitely feel ready to push on for Olympic qualification next year.” The highest-earning male athlete was swimmer Joseph Schooling, who earned about $327,000 from winning two individual golds and two team bronzes at the Jakarta Asian Games. Part of earnings go back to sports associations Sponsored by the Tote Board Group – comprising Tote Board, Singapore Pools and the Singapore Turf Club – medal-winning athletes receive cash in amounts based on the major Games event and medal won. It is mandatory for athletes to give a percentage of their awards (50 per cent for the Commonwealth Games and 20 per cent for the Asian Games) to their respective national sports associations for the purposes of training and development
Singaporean stars shine at ONE: Heart Of The Lion Christian LeePHOTO: ONE CHAMPIONSHIP Nov 10, 2018 06:21 pm Christian Lee and Tiffany Teo hoisted the Singapore flag aloft as they emerged triumphant in their respective matches at ONE Championship’s second and final event in Singapore for 2018. Both Singaporean talents competed on the undercard of ONE: HEART OF THE LION, which took place at the packed Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, November 9. In the co-main event of the evening, Lee gave his countrymen at the state-of-the-art arena a reason to celebrate after defeating Japan’s Kazuki Tokudome via technical knockout in the first round. The 20-year-old former ONE World Title challenger weathered Tokudome’s takedown efforts in the opening moments of the bout before landing a solid right straight that dropped his Japanese opponent to the canvas. Lee, who took the bout against Tokudome on short notice after his older sister and reigning atomweight queen Angela Lee was forced to withdraw in her bout against strawweight titleholder Xiong Jing Nan due to an injury, finished the task at hand by raining down piston-like ground shots, forcing the referee to step in and wave it off at 3:07 of the opening frame. Christian Lee at ONE: Heart Of Of The LionPHOTO: ONE CHAMPIONSHIP With his impressive performance against Tokudome, Lee improves his professional record to 10-3, claiming his sixth win by way of knockout. In his post-match interview with color commentator Mitch Chilson, Lee believes that his first-round stoppage victory over a highly-touted Japanese veteran such as Tokudome is enough to put him in the position to vie for the interim world title in his division since ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin Nguyen is still nursing an injury. Lee mentioned former featherweight kingpin Narantungalag Jadambaa as a possible opponent for his projected interim championship tiff. The Mongolian hard-hitter has won two consecutive bouts against tough opposition in 2018. On the other hand, Teo put on an absolute show to the delight of a jam-packed Singapore Indoor Stadium crowd against multiple-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Michelle Nicolini. Tiffany TeoPHOTO: ONE CHAMPIONSHIP For 15 minutes, Teo and Nicolini gave everything they had and left it all inside the ONE Championship cage. While Nicolini showcased her world-class grappling, it was Teo who kept her opponent on the end of some powerful striking combinations. After three rounds of gruelling action, Teo took home the hard-earned victory by unanimous decision, upgrading her win-loss slate to 8-1. Meanwhile, in the main event of ONE: HEART OF THE LION, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the Philippines ended the nearly five-year reign of Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil to successfully unify the bantamweight titles. Belingon employed a terrific game plan, attacking Fernandes’ body with thudding spinning back kicks while connecting on fiery boxing combinations. Fernandes did his best to take the action to the ground, but Belingon showed much improved grappling skills. After five rounds of action, Belingon took home the victory via split decision and was crowned the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion.
Team Singapore Young Singapore male paddlers show their potential with four golds (Left to right) Ethan Poh, Koen Pang, Clarence Chew, Lucas Tan, Gerald Yu, Wong Xin Ru, Goi Rui Xuan, Eunice Lim, Pearlyn Koh and Tan En Hui. PHOTO: SINGAPORE TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION Nov 20, 2018 06:00 am The retirement of stalwarts Gao Ning, Yang Zi, Zhan Jian and Pang Xue Jie in recent years, and the sacking of Li Hu for disciplinary reasons, have left a void in Singapore's men's table tennis team. But the next generation is ready to step up. Led by 22-year-old Clarence Chew, the team featuring mostly teenagers put up a strong showing at the Nov 15-18 South-east Asian (SEA) Table Tennis Championships in Bali, Indonesia - winning four golds (singles, doubles, team and mixed doubles), two silvers and three bronzes. Chew took the singles gold by beating Koen Pang, who partnered Ethan to doubles success. The women added a singles title as Singapore won five out of seven events, and had four silvers and seven bronzes as well. More impressively, the paddlers swept the top four positions in both singles. The crop of talented youngsters bodes well for next year's SEA Games in the Philippines. "Players like Clarence and Ethan have been to several major games. They have also won SEA Games medals," said Singapore Table Tennis Association's senior high performance manager Eddy Tay. "This year, Koen reached the men's doubles semi-finals at the Commonwealth Games and finished in the top eight of the Youth Olympics. "With such strong showing, we think they deserve to be selected for the SEA Games." Koen, 16, admitted that there is now more pressure on local-born players like him to step up, but he relishes the challenge. He said: "Since the China-born players stepped down, the pressure is on us, the local-born paddlers, to produce the results. "It helps that we train together often. It has helped to build understanding, chemistry and friendship among the players." While the women's team can still count on their A-listers, Feng Tianwei and Yu Mengyu, the young ones showed their potential at the SEA Championships, with Goi Rui Xuan, 17, defeating Wong Xin Ru, 16, 4-1 in the singles final.
Bowling: Singapore lose to US in World Bowling Men's Championships semis but secure historic bronze Singapore's men's bowling team consisting of (clockwise from top left) Jonovan Neo, Darren Ong, Jaris Goh, Basil Ng, Keith Saw and Joel Tan.PHOTO: SINGAPORE BOWLING Published Dec 4, 2018, 8:45 pm SGT David Lee Correspondent davidlee@sph.com.sg SINGAPORE - The national men's bowling team lost to a world-class American side in the semi-finals of the World Bowling Men's Championships but still secured a historic bronze medal on Tuesday (Dec 4). Basil Ng, Keith Saw, Jonovan Neo, Darren Ong, Jaris Goh and reserve Joel Tan struggled to string strikes together at the South China Athletic Association bowling centre in Hong Kong. However, they were awarded a medal despite their 238-194, 216-189 loss in the team-of-five event as losing semi-finalists are automatically placed third. Italy, who pipped Canada 176-162, 210-244, 190-179 in the other semi-final, surprisingly went on to beat the Americans 189-169, 210-166 in the final. The semi-finals and final were played in a best-of-three Baker format. In a team of five, this means the first player bowls Frames 1 and 6, the second player bowls Frames 2 and 7, and so forth. In the first game, Saw suffered a split and an open second frame, as the Singaporeans managed just four strikes. The United States, who have four PBA Players of the Year in their line-up - Andrew Anderson (2018), EJ Tackett (2016), Tommy Jones (2005/06) and Chris Barnes (2007/08) - capitalised with Jones, Barnes and Kyle Troup combining for a turkey through Frames 5 to 7. The young Singapore team, with an average age of 22.3, started brighter in the second game as it was Tackett's turn to record a split and open fourth frame. They held an 118-117 lead going into the seventh frame with both teams producing a strike in the sixth, but followed that up with Saw's spare and Neo's open eighth frame as the Americans raced away with a four-bagger. Despite the defeat by a more experienced team with an average age of 32.8, Ng had no regrets. The 21-year-old said: "As bowlers, we are in control of only our own process and execution, and not the outcome. Our responsibility is to commit to our shots, which I feel we did. "This tournament showed us the different lessons learnt from previous competitions played a big part in our development and motivated us to reach greater heights." Goh, 23, added: "This has been a great opportunity to bowl with and learn from the best and we are very happy to be part of the team that created history. It is like a graduation for us from boys to men." The team's latest achievement is a continuation of the upward trend that the nation's elite male bowlers have experienced in the last 16 months. It comes hot on the heels of Alex Chong, Goh and Ong's men's trios bronze at August's Asiad, as they became Singapore's first male bowlers to win an Asian Games medal since 2010. Last year, Cheah Ray Han, Timothy Tham, Ng, Ong, Goh and Saw topped the Asean field and ended Singapore’s 22-year wait for a men’s team bowling gold at the SEA Games.. Singapore Bowling Federation president Jessie Phua said: "We are extremely proud of this team and the secret to the team's success is belief - from the bowlers, coaches, parents and everyone at Singapore Bowling. "We will continue to support these bowlers and pray they will receive the support they deserve from the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) too." The team are now aiming to equal or better their results from the last SEA Games, and do well at the Asian Bowling Championships but their progress could be affected with Ng, Neo, Ong and Goh due to enlist for National Service next year. National head coach Helmi Chew, who thanked sponsors Canon, Dynasty Travel, Singapore Airlines and Storm Products, as well as the SSI for its support, added: "We will be preparing for next year's SEA Games and we have a training programme lined up to equip them and improve them for upcoming competitions. We also have a weekend schedule for those in NS. The team understand the commitment and sacrifice required to achieve greater success."
Second title in two weeks for bowler Charmaine https://www.tnp.sg/sports/others/second-title-two-weeks-bowler-Charmaine Singapore's Charmaine Chang (centre) winning the 19th Milo Storm U22 International Junior All Stars Bowling Championship in Petaling Jaya. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BOWLING FEDERATION Dec 08, 2018 09:31 pm Singapore youth bowler Charmaine Chang emerged triumphant in the 19th Milo Storm U-22 International Junior All Stars Bowling Championship in Malaysia on Saturday (Dec 8). The 19-year-old, who won the National Youth Championship just two weeks ago, defeated Nur Hazirah Ramli of Sarawak 255-211 in the stepladder finals at the Sunway Pyramid's Sunway Mega Lanes in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, to pocket the winner's prize money of RM18,000 (S$5,900). Charmaine, a Year 1 human resource management student at the Singapore University of Social Science, was the top seed from a field of 36 girls after 10 games with a score of 2,376. Said national assistant coach Vincent Lim: "Her first win (in an international competition) will help boost her confidence and self-belief. Two weeks ago, she won the National Youth Championship and I believed that helped her to be more mentally prepared in the stepladder finals. "She created her own routine during the stepladder finals and committed to it to help her curb her nerves, helping her to win it."
Gold rush for Singapore's powerlifters https://www.tnp.sg/sports/others/gold-rush-singapores-powerlifters Singapore's female powerlifters Farhanna Farid (left) and Thor Qian Qi. PHOTO: POWERLIFTING SINGAPORE Dec 08, 2018 06:06 pm Singapore took home 41 gold, 10 silver and five bronze medals at the Dec 4-8 Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The Republic, who were represented by a 17-strong contingent of five women and 12 men, also bagged several Asian records at the meet, which saw the participation of 253 athletes from 18 nations. Powerlifting is a strength sport in which athletes lift the heaviest weight in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Seven athletes won four gold medals each. They are women powerlifters Thor Qian Qi (Under-52kg junior), Carrie Choy (U-63kg Master 1) and Hiromi Takeuchi (U-47kg Master 1); and men's powerlifters Matthias Yap (U-74kg sub-junior), Mitchell Lim (U-53 junior), Zack Toh (U-59 Master 1) and Martin Schweiger (120-plus kg Master 2). FARHANNA'S FEATS Female powerlifter Farhanna Farid, who won three gold medals in the women's U-52 open category, also became the first Singaporean to clinch an overall gold medal internationally in the open division, across all weight classes. She was also named the second best female lifter of the open category. The 26-year-old, who also won a bronze in the bench press (60kg), was tops in her weight category for the squat (120kg), deadlift (Asian record of 173kg) and overall. Farhanna, who made her competitive debut at the Singapore Powerlifting Open in April, surprised the crowd with an easy 160.5kg attempt before surpassing it twice with 170.5kg and 173kg efforts, becoming the first woman in Singapore to deadlift over three times her bodyweight. She said: “This year’s Asian Classic was the ultimate goal for me. The plan was to come here, get the gold medals, and the Asian record.” However, it was not all smooth-sailing for the pint-sized athlete. She came into the regionals with a back injury, and had not deadlifted in over three weeks prior to competition day. Speaking of her final deadlift attempt, in which she lifted 173kg, she laughed: “The bar did not move for three whole seconds! I think I gave everyone on the Singapore team a near-heart attack. Everyone’s heart sank and thought I would not get it. But I wasn’t letting go of the bar. I wanted it so much I kept pulling, and finally it flew upwards!” Juggling her full-time job as a pharmacist with powerlifting, Farhanna trains four times a week, with each training session lasting up to three hours. 4 GOLDS FOR THOR Besides her four-gold haul, Thor, 19, also pulled a 145.5kg deadlift for an Asian record in the women's U-52kg junior category. The Nanyang Polytechnic student also achieved a squat of 130kg and a bench press of 65kg to erase the national junior and open records. For her achievements, she was named the third best female lifter of the junior category. Thor, who took nearly a year's break from competing due to school work, said: “I had not intended on competing this year, and was training towards the next national-level championships in Singapore in March 2019. "However, when the opportunity came up through my nomination to be part of the Singapore team, I seized it! We were eight weeks out from competition, and my coach ramped up my training, to help me peak.” Thor started training seriously again only in July. She trains five times a week, each time for three hours. Teammate Venus Tang, 25, bagged one gold and three silver medals in the women’s U-57kg open category, while two female Master 1 athletes Choy and Takeuchi also stood out with four-gold feats and were named the best and third-best female Master 1 lifters respectively. Choy, 41, who represented Singapore in judo from 1992 to 1997, was glad to be donning national colours again. She said: “I never imagined I would be standing on the podium again wearing the Singapore flag, especially with an old shoulder injury. It was a good experience, and I am glad to be able to win the four gold medals for Singapore.” MEN'S RESULTS The male powerlifters also held their own against the region's best. Norfatris Danial won gold medals for deadlift and overall in the men's U-83kg junior category. The 22-year-old, who broke his category's Asian deadlift record twice with 281kg and 293kg efforts, also won the silver medal for the squat. Matthew Yap, 19, achieved a 248kg squat, winning the gold medal and smashing the Asian record in the men’s U-74kg junior category. He also bagged a bronze in the bench press, a silver in the deadlift, and the overall gold medal, and was named the second best lifter in the junior category. His brother Matthias, 18, swept all four gold medals on offer in the U-74kg sub-junior category when he triumphed in the squat (200kg), bench press (110kg) and deadlift (227.5kg), which gave him a combined total of 537.5kg.
