TEAM SINGAPORE IMPRESSES AT 25TH SEA GAMES WITH 33 GOLD MEDALS
Young Athletes and Debutants Key Contributors to Singapore's Medal Haul in Vientiane, Laos
Vientiane, Laos, 18 December 2009 - Singapore has ended its 25th SEA Games campaign on a high with its impressive medal haul of 98 medals, consisting of 33 Gold, 30 Silver and 35 Bronze, despite the nation fielding its smallest contingent in this installment of the SEA Games. Team Singapore was represented by 192 athletes taking part in 18 sports at the 25th SEA Games.
2 Singapore continued to show its dominance in key sports such as table tennis, swimming and water polo. Team Singapore kicked off the 25th SEA Games on a high note with the men's water polo team continuing its winning streak by clinching their 23rd successive SEA Games gold medal. The table tennis team followed suit by sweeping six out of the seven gold medals that were at stake. At the same time, table tennis also garnered a total of 12 medals at the various events, bettering its haul of nine medals at the 24th SEA Games in Korat, Thailand in 2007.
3 The top performer at the 25th SEA games was the swimming team who contributed 33 medals, consisting of 14 Gold, eight Silver and 11 Bronze - a marked improvement from the 26 medals they brought home from the previous SEA games in Korat, Thailand. The swimmers were also on a record-breaking trail, setting about 10 SEA Games records and seven National records while in Vientiane, Laos.
4 Expressing her delight, Chef de Mission Jessie Phua said, "I am extremely happy with Team Singapore's remarkable performance in Vientiane. Singapore may have sent a lean SEA Games contingent to compete, but our athletes spared no effort in giving their best when it mattered. Our young athletes came well prepared, not just to participate, but also to win. The future of our Singapore sports is certainly bright."
A Promising Debut
5 Singapore sent a young contingent with 90 SEA Games debutants and 99 athletes aged 21 and below. All of them rose to the challenge and shone at the 25th SEA Games with the debutants contributing 23 medals (three Gold, nine Silver and 11 Bronze) to the nation's medal haul.
6 21-year-old silat exponent, Rabiatul Adawiyah Yusak, came away from her first SEA Games with a Gold medal in the Women's Single Artistic (Tunggal) event. Joining her on the podium were teammates Shafiq Saiful and Elyasak Said, who both received the Bronze medal in the Pencak Silat Men's Class H and Class F events respectively at their first showing at a SEA Games event.
6 Swimming debutants also made a splash at the pool by contributing a total of seven medals (four Silver and three Bronze) to the nation's medal tally. Seven out of 11 swimming debutants came away with at least a medal. In addition, Singapore also garnered its first medal in road cycling through former triathlete Dinah Chen, who secured the Bronze medal in the Women's 30 km Individual Time Trial event in her debut in the SEA Games cycling scene.
7 "The SEA Games continues to be the springboard for our young athletes to gain exposure in the regional sporting arena as well as valuable experience from competing against some of the best in the region. Our youths have certainly made an impression at this Games. Competing in the SEA Games is an important first step for them in their development, and we hope they can build on this experience to move ahead and achieve greater success at the Asian and Olympic Games," concluded Mrs Phua.
8 For more information on Team Singapore at the 25th SEA Games, please visit www.teamsingapore.com.sg
Originally mooted by the then-Ministry of Community Development and Sports, Team Singapore was launched on 20 April 2001 by then-Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan, Team Singapore is the united identity of elite athletes, coaches and officials from Singapore that represents the country in major multi-sport Games and identified international competitions.
The three core attributes of Pride, Performance and Perseverance anchor that which is the collective Team Singapore. Underscoring the traits of a winning team, these attributes are the important elements of sportsmanship and excellence that propel the nation forward to succeed on the world's sporting stage.
Team Singapore inspires our nation's athletic talents to continually evolve the level of elite sports in Singapore, while galvanising and connecting the community in support of their sporting endeavours. For further information, please visit www.teamsingapore.com.sg
About the Singapore National Olympic Council
The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) is the national nonprofit organisation that coordinates the selection of Singaporean athletes for competition at the major games such as the Olympics, the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the South East Asian Games. Singapore's involvement in the Games is resolutely anchored in the Olympic ideals that were first espoused by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, in 1894. For more information, please visit www.snoc.org.sg.
About the Singapore Sports Council
The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is Singapore's lead agency tasked with developing sports in Singapore. Our vision is to create a Sporting Singapore where Sports is a way of life. The SSC aims to develop sports champions and create enjoyable sporting experiences for Singapore through the three strategic thrusts of cultivating a sporting culture, achieving sports excellence and creating a vibrant sports industry. Formed on 1 October 1973, the SSC is a statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Please visit the SSC website at www.ssc.gov.sg for more information.
