| 1. |
Good evening and a warm welcome to the Singapore Sports Awards 2007. I am delighted to welcome our Guests-of-Honour the President and Mrs. Nathan. |
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| 2. |
This is a special night for the athletes we recognize this evening. We are here to acknowledge their sports accomplishments, and everyone—from their families and friends, to the officials from the Singapore National Olympic Council, the Singapore Sports Council and the National Sports Associations to the awardees themselves—is honoured to have this evening’s event graced by the President and Mrs. Nathan. |
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| 3. |
The President and Mrs. Nathan have always been very strong supporters of our athletes.
Not only do they follow closely our athletes’ performances in the Games, the President and Mrs. Nathan hosted our Asian Games athletes to the Istana just after they had returned from Doha. At this reception we also had athletes from the FESPIC Games and the Lions who had just won the ASEAN Cup. Thank you once again, Mr. President and Mrs. Nathan for gracing the occasion |
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| 4. |
2006 was an excellent year for Singapore. In fact, it was a year in which we proved we are capable of greatness in sports. At the two major Games of the year, the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Doha Asian Games we set new national records and we won more medals than we ever have in our history. |
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It was a breakthrough year, and before I run through some numbers with you, please join me in saying ‘well done’ to all our competitors. |
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| 6. |
When we look at the numbers, we have so much to be proud of. We began the year with the Commonwealth Games in March, winning 5 gold medals and 18 overall. In December at the Doha Asian Games, we won 8 golds and 27 overall. In both instances, our athletes outperformed our expectations—much to our great national pride. |
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| 7. |
If we take a closer look at the medal counts, we must draw attention to our table tennis players in Melbourne: In Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles we finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and in the Women’s Doubles we were 1st and 2nd.
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| 8. |
In Doha, our sailors won medals in 10 of their 11 sailing events, and Tao Li won a swimming gold medal, a feat last achieved in 1980, Moreover, many athletes were making their first appearances at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, which makes their fine achievements that much more remarkable. |
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| 9. |
In 2006, Singapore was able to fly its colours on the back of World Champions in bowling, sailing and wushu. |
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Remy Ong became Singapore’s first World Champion through an indomitable performance at the World’s Men’s Bowling Championship, and Valerie Teo claimed our first title at the World Youth Bowling Championship. |
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| 11. |
In sailing, Colin Cheng finished first in the Laser 4.7 World Cup, and Griselda Khng finished first in the Optimist Girls in the International Optimist Dingy Association (IODA) World Championship; and the Sailing Optimist Team stood at the top of the podium for the Team Racing Optimist event in the same Championship. |
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In Wushu, Sim Shi Jie was first in the Gold Spear event at the 1st World Wushu Junior Championship. |
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| 13. |
Our athletes also won many silver and bronze medals at international games and championships, and they are also worthy of mention.
Our women’s table tennis team won a silver medal at the Doha Asian Games in a world class field that included China, Hong Kong, DPR Korea and the Republic of Korea. Li Jia Wei won a bronze medal in singles at the Table Tennis Women’s World Cup. |
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| 14. |
In a year filled with such breathtaking achievements, you can imagine how difficult it was for the Sports Award Selection Committee to agree on a single winner for each of the main awards. |
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| 15. |
The bar has been raised, not only in the open category of the Singapore Sports Awards, but also in the junior category. We now have young student shooters competing shoulder to shoulder with more experienced and professional shooters in international competitions, and even winning. |
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| 16. |
Other young competitors may not have won medals in their events, but they are closing the gap.
I must mention here Lim Heem Wei from gymnastics, Choo Tze Huang from golf, Stefan Tseng from track and field and Sim Shi Jie from wushu. We recognize these athletes as well as many other young rising stars with our Meritorious Awards. We should remember these names. I am very sure that tonight’s meritorious athletes will be contenders for the main awards in the years to come. |
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| 17. |
We know that good coaches make good athletes. In competition, good coaches know how to lift their athletes to perform beyond their best in the face of extreme pressure and competition. Four great coaches were nominated for the Coach of the Year Award 2007, namely Zhang Yong Qiang from Sailing, Liu Guo Dong from table tennis, Du Chuan Yong from Wushu, and Henry Tan, Mervyn Foo and William Woo from bowling. |
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| 18. |
By now you know that Zhang Yong Qiang has won the award for the Coach of the Year 2007. His athletes won medals at the major games and in their sailing championships in 2006. The consistency of his results with our young sailors forecasts a bright future for sailing in the coming years. |
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| 19. |
I also wish to give special mention to the team of three coaches Henry, Mervyn and William who together brought their thirteen bowlers to win medals not just at the Asian Games, Asian Bowling Championship and Asian Youth Bowling Championship, but to win Singapore’s first ever titles at the World Youth Championship and World’s Men’s Championship. Although they missed out on the coach’s award they deserve mention here. Well done, Henry, Mervyn and William. |
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| 20, |
Year 2006 will also be remembered as the year the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, the Singapore National Olympic Council and the Singapore Sports Council started Project 0812, Singapore’s quest to win our next Olympic Games medal. To win an Olympic medal, we need more of the breakthroughs we saw in 2006. We need to shake off our doubts and believe that we can do it. Our achievements across the board in 2006 are reason enough to believe it is possible, and Project 0812 is our belief put into action. |
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| 21. |
It leaves me now to thank the Singapore Sports Awards Committee from SNOC and SSC chaired by Mrs Jessie Phua, and the sponsors Singapore Totalisator Board/Singapore Pools Pte Ltd, Singapore Airlines, Asia Pacific Breweries and NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd. |
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| 22. |
And we wish to thank President and Mrs. Nathan once again for joining us and making tonight a truly memorable one for our sports people. |
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| 23. |
Congratulations to the award winners. |
Have an enjoyable evening.
Thank you. |
