“Let the games begin!”, declared Minister of State (MOS) for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan. After a year-long delay due to COVID-19, the quadrennial Asian Games is finally back. And this time round, Team Singapore is going all out for the win, sending its largest-ever contingent of 431 athletes to compete in 32 events, added MOS Tan.
Besides more popular sports such as swimming and athletics (where all eyes will be on sprint queen Shanti Pereira, whose speed and determination have captured our imagination), it is also heartening to see the Singapore flag fly high in niche events such as speed climbing and roller skating.
Currently cheering on the sidelines in Hangzhou, China, is Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) for Culture, Community and Youth Eric Chua, who is one of the most ardent supporters of Team Singapore. “The dedication and hard work of our athletes is truly inspiring, and we are proud to see them represent Singapore with grace and skill,” noted SPS Chua.
In fact, it has been a great start to the week, as Kimberley Ong secured our first medal in the Changquan event on Day Two of the games. Her achievement is a testament to the excellence and resilience of our athletes, shared Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
Supporting our athletes in high-performance sports
Considering the immense benefits of sports, the PAP has long been supportive of exposing our youths to different sports to identify talent and help our athletes fulfil their sporting aspirations at the highest level.
Announcing changes to the High-Performance Sport (HPS) System, Minister Tong shared that a new Sports Excellence Potential (SpexPotential) programme will cast the net wider and further to support a bigger pool of athletes. In particular, those with the potential to excel at the SEA games (and beyond) yet hindered from committing to full-time training due to pragmatic concerns.
Through the SpexPotential programme, Sport Singapore will provide athletes with a monthly stipend and financial support for coaching, equipment costs and training. That is in addition to the support in performance tracking, sports science, education and career planning.
“We want to go further upstream to support those with the potential to excel,” said Minister Tong. After all, unpolished gems sometimes need a little bit more support to sparkle and shine bright.
And hopefully in the years to come, as we continue to nurture young talent, we will see Singapore transform into the sporting nation we are proud to call home.
Photo Source: SNOC/Eric Chua via Facebook
